# The role of zinc transporters and dietary zinc in calcium oxalate urolithiasis

> **NIH NIH K01** · UNIVERSITY OF MINNESOTA · 2021 · $110,808

## Abstract

Project Summary/Abstract
This proposal describes a one-year extension to a training program for Dr. Eva Furrow, a
veterinary scientist at the University of Minnesota. Her research leverages the dog as a natural
model to discover genetic and metabolic risk factors for calcium oxalate (CaOx) kidney stones.
Kidney stones affect 10% of the population, causing significant pain and an annual health cost
of >$10 billion in the United States. Preventative therapies have low efficacy, and recurrence
rates are greater than 50% in 5 years. In Dr. Furrow’s parent training award, she used dog and
fly models to determine the role of dietary zinc and zinc transporter genes on CaOx stone risk.
During this extension, Dr. Furrow will complete data analysis and training activities that will
provide a strong foundation for her independent research career. The first objective of this
extension is to analyze gene expression data to identify abnormalities in the regulation of zinc
transporter genes associated with CaOx stones in dogs. The second objective is to
communicate research findings to the general and scientific communities by publishing
manuscripts, including one on Dr. Furrow’s discoveries of how zinc impacts stone risk in dogs,
flies, and humans. The third objective is to secure support for additional work to discover
mechanisms of stone risk through preparation and submission of an independent research grant
proposal. This work is fundamental to understanding stone pathogenesis and discovering key
targets for further research on preventative therapies. It will promote the success and
sustainability of Dr. Furrow’s program in translational kidney stone research.

## Key facts

- **NIH application ID:** 10378915
- **Project number:** 3K01OD019912-05S1
- **Recipient organization:** UNIVERSITY OF MINNESOTA
- **Principal Investigator:** Eva Furrow
- **Activity code:** K01 (R01, R21, SBIR, etc.)
- **Funding institute:** NIH
- **Fiscal year:** 2021
- **Award amount:** $110,808
- **Award type:** 3
- **Project period:** 2015-05-18 → 2022-03-31

## Primary source

NIH RePORTER: https://reporter.nih.gov/project-details/10378915

## Citation

> US National Institutes of Health, RePORTER application 10378915, The role of zinc transporters and dietary zinc in calcium oxalate urolithiasis (3K01OD019912-05S1). Retrieved via AI Analytics 2026-05-26 from https://api.ai-analytics.org/grant/nih/10378915. Licensed CC0.

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