# KULMAP: Human Kidney, urinary tract and lung mapping center

> **NIH NIH U54** · UNIVERSITY OF CALIFORNIA, SAN DIEGO · 2021 · $1,848,510

## Abstract

Abstract
The respiratory system (RS: lung airways and alveolar parenchyma) and the urinary system
(US:kidney, ureters and bladder) are both critical to homeostasis. The RS subserves gas
exchange for cellular respiration and the US maintains fluid and electrolyte balance and
supports elimination of toxic substances. Together, they regulate acid-base balance. Both arise
via branching morphogenesis, are highly vascular, with a large endothelial/epithelial/neural
interface, and eliminate unwanted substance to the outside environment. They are thus “barrier
systems” that require extensive immune surveillance and are subject to environmental,
infectious and, inflammatory injury, and fibrotic disrepair. Failure of either systems results in
chronic debilitating diseases that are costly to manage. Improved understanding of both
systems at a high-resolution, high content multiscale level and the parenchymal-extra cellular
space interactions will provide remarkable insight into morphogenesis, homeostasis and
injury/repair of the body’s principal barriers. Characterizing the identities of all the cell types and
their spatial organization is the first step towards understanding the functions and malfunctions
of these organs. In this project we propose to build spatial multi-omics maps of RS and US
barrier organs at single-cell resolution, using a combination of highly efficient sequencing
approach on dissociated cells, and highly multiplexed in situ mapping of RNA and proteins with
fluorescent imaging.
We plan to accomplish this goal with three specific aims in a 4-year funded period. Aim 1. We
will establish an experimental and computation pipeline for generating and analyzing 3D multi-
omics maps for human tissues. This pipeline will include single-nucleus RNA sequencing and
chromatin accessibility mapping, highly multiplexed in situ imaging of RNA and proteins, and a
computational framework to integrate different types of data to create coherent spatial maps of
RNA, chromatin status and proteins. Aim 2. In one Organ Specific Project (OSP), we will create
a Lung Airways and Prenchymal Map (LAPMAP), covering the entire intrathoracic human
airway, as well as three critical niches of the human lung for both sexes. Aim 3. In a second
OSP, we will create the Bladder Ureter and Kidney Maps (BUKMAP), covering human kidney
and lower urinary tract.

## Key facts

- **NIH application ID:** 10237122
- **Project number:** 5U54HL145608-04
- **Recipient organization:** UNIVERSITY OF CALIFORNIA, SAN DIEGO
- **Principal Investigator:** James S. Hagood
- **Activity code:** U54 (R01, R21, SBIR, etc.)
- **Funding institute:** NIH
- **Fiscal year:** 2021
- **Award amount:** $1,848,510
- **Award type:** 5
- **Project period:** 2018-09-25 → 2022-12-31

## Primary source

NIH RePORTER: https://reporter.nih.gov/project-details/10237122

## Citation

> US National Institutes of Health, RePORTER application 10237122, KULMAP: Human Kidney, urinary tract and lung mapping center (5U54HL145608-04). Retrieved via AI Analytics 2026-06-11 from https://api.ai-analytics.org/grant/nih/10237122. Licensed CC0.

---

*[NIH grants dataset](/datasets/nih-grants) · CC0 1.0*