# Genome engineering of stem cells for kidney regeneration

> **NIH VA I01** · VETERANS HEALTH ADMINISTRATION · 2021 · —

## Abstract

We propose to develop a regenerative gene and cell therapy treatment for acute kidney injury and/or chronic
kidney disease. These studies are based on recent advances in isolation of adult stem cells from the urine.
Urine-derived stem cells have several remarkable properties: they are easy to obtain, propagate for many
passages, are multipotent, and home to sites of injury. We propose to genome modify urine-derived stem cells
and track their homing in three mouse models of kidney injury (ischemia reperfusion, rhabdomyolysis, and
aristolochic acid). Cells will be modified with transposons to express luciferase. This will permit tracking in live
animals by optical imaging together with new techniques for advanced tomography. Biomarkers for kidney injury
will be measured and compared. Histology and marker analysis will determine if stem cells have an effect on the
mouse phenotype for each condition. Aim 1 seeks to compare outcomes for mice receiving urine-derived stem
cells vs no treatment. In Aim 2, urine-derived stem cells will be reprogrammed into induced nephron progenitor
cells and compared to past methods of deriving induced nephron progenitor cells. These cells are unique
because they are similar to cells found in the cap mesenchyme and are capable of differentiating into all parts of
the nephron. These aims will determine if allogeneic or autologous stem cell transplant therapies based on urine-
derived stem cells may have the ability to reverse or delay kidney damage in mouse models of acute kidney
injury or chronic kidney disease.

## Key facts

- **NIH application ID:** 10227657
- **Project number:** 5I01BX004845-02
- **Recipient organization:** VETERANS HEALTH ADMINISTRATION
- **Principal Investigator:** Lauren Elizabeth Woodard
- **Activity code:** I01 (R01, R21, SBIR, etc.)
- **Funding institute:** VA
- **Fiscal year:** 2021
- **Award amount:** —
- **Award type:** 5
- **Project period:** 2020-04-01 → 2024-03-31

## Primary source

NIH RePORTER: https://reporter.nih.gov/project-details/10227657

## Citation

> US National Institutes of Health, RePORTER application 10227657, Genome engineering of stem cells for kidney regeneration (5I01BX004845-02). Retrieved via AI Analytics 2026-05-23 from https://api.ai-analytics.org/grant/nih/10227657. Licensed CC0.

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