# Metabolomics for Identifying Biomarkers of Dietary Intake & Kidney Disease Progression

> **NIH NIH K01** · JOHNS HOPKINS UNIVERSITY · 2020 · $156,076

## Abstract

PROJECT SUMMARY / ABSTRACT
 Chronic kidney disease is associated with high rates of the morbidity and mortality, but few effective
treatments exist. Diet is central to kidney disease and its management, and is a modifiable risk factor for
kidney disease progression. Metabolomics can now quantify over 800 small molecules in an unbiased
approach providing an opportunity to assess the proximal physiologic effect of diet.
 The specific aims of the research proposal are: 1) to study the relationship between components of
dietary intake and kidney disease progression; 2) to quantify the metabolomic expression of dietary intake; and
3) to examine the relationship between metabolites that reflect dietary intake and kidney disease progression.
 The proposed research leverages three chronic kidney disease studies: 1) the Modification of Diet in Renal
Disease (MDRD) study, a randomized clinical trial of dietary protein restriction (N=840); 2) the Chronic Renal
Insufficiency Cohort (CRIC) study, a prospective cohort study (N=3,939); and 3) the German Chronic Kidney
Disease (GCKD) study, a prospective cohort study (N=5,217). Extensive collaboration with leaders in these
research studies will catalyze the proposed research. Funding is provided through the parent studies and other
funded grants (NIDDK R01 led by Drs. Andrew Levey and Josef Coresh, Chronic Kidney Disease Biomarkers
Consortium) to perform global metabolomic profiling.
 Casey M. Rebholz, PhD, MS, MPH is a tenure-track Assistant Professor at Johns Hopkins Bloomberg
School of Public Health. She seeks a Mentored Research Scientist Development Award in order to obtain
essential skills and mentored research experience to prepare for a future career as an independent
investigator in the field of nutrition and chronic kidney disease. The research and career development proposal
details a five-year plan consisting of in-depth training in metabolomics and chronic kidney disease; advanced
coursework in nutrition, kidney disease, and metabolomics (lab methods and analytic techniques); primary
mentorship by Dr. Josef Coresh, MD, PhD; co-mentorship by Dr. Lawrence J. Appel, MD, MPH, Dr. Morgan E.
Grams, MD, PhD, and Dr. David R. Graham, PhD; and epidemiologic research on the risk of kidney disease
associated with dietary intake. Immediate career goals include the mastery of statistical techniques for
metabolomics data analysis and nutrition science through an academic curriculum integrated with the research
plan. Long term, Dr. Rebholz aims to lead independent research programs investigating optimal diets for the
prevention and treatment of chronic kidney disease.
 Proposed research will advance dietary assessment methodology and provide novel insights into kidney
disease pathogenesis with the goal of guiding therapy through dietary interventions, to be tested in future grant
proposals by Dr. Rebholz, for the ~13% of the U.S. population with chronic kidney disease.

## Key facts

- **NIH application ID:** 9963207
- **Project number:** 5K01DK107782-05
- **Recipient organization:** JOHNS HOPKINS UNIVERSITY
- **Principal Investigator:** Casey Marie Rebholz
- **Activity code:** K01 (R01, R21, SBIR, etc.)
- **Funding institute:** NIH
- **Fiscal year:** 2020
- **Award amount:** $156,076
- **Award type:** 5
- **Project period:** 2016-09-12 → 2022-03-31

## Primary source

NIH RePORTER: https://reporter.nih.gov/project-details/9963207

## Citation

> US National Institutes of Health, RePORTER application 9963207, Metabolomics for Identifying Biomarkers of Dietary Intake & Kidney Disease Progression (5K01DK107782-05). Retrieved via AI Analytics 2026-05-22 from https://api.ai-analytics.org/grant/nih/9963207. Licensed CC0.

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