# Ecophysiological genomics of fat oxidation and renal vasoconstriction during acute dehydration

> **NIH NIH R35** · UNIVERSITY OF NEW HAMPSHIRE · 2020 · $327,738

## Abstract

Millions of people die every year as a direct result of dehydration, with countless others suffering physiologic
and cognitive impairment. While providing safe drinking water is the ultimate solution, this is not always
immediately possible (e.g., illness, water contamination, natural disasters, etc.). Despite decades of work
aimed at understanding the pathophysiology of dehydration, the existence of dehydration-related morbidity and
mortality exists suggests that alternative research strategies promoting new understanding are urgently
needed. One such alternative strategy includes the elucidation of the genomic architecture of dehydration.
Indeed, understanding architecture is, prima facie, relevant to human health and medicine as the genomic
mechanisms underlying disease phenotypes often suggest novel treatment strategies (e.g., in diabetes, many
cancers, and coronary artery disease). The proposed multidisciplinary research approach aims to characterize
the physiology and genomic architecture of dehydration tolerance in an emerging rodent model in laboratory
and wild animals. Specifically, physiology will be characterized, and previously identified pathways related to
metabolic water production in renal vasoconstriction will be pharmacologically and genetically manipulated.
Field studies that leverage the fact that wild cactus mice exist in both desert and non-desert locations in
Southern California. Natural variation in drought tolerance exists. Exome capture and RADseq sequencing will
be performed on all animals from multiple populations, and a population genomic approach will be used to
identify genes and genomic regions likely responsible for variation in drought tolerance. Together, the
proposed work will provide important and novel insights into a condition impacting millions of individuals.
Indeed, understanding the physiology and genomic underpinnings of dehydration is the critical first step in the
pathway leading to treatments and interventions.

## Key facts

- **NIH application ID:** 9963322
- **Project number:** 5R35GM128843-03
- **Recipient organization:** UNIVERSITY OF NEW HAMPSHIRE
- **Principal Investigator:** Matthew David MacManes
- **Activity code:** R35 (R01, R21, SBIR, etc.)
- **Funding institute:** NIH
- **Fiscal year:** 2020
- **Award amount:** $327,738
- **Award type:** 5
- **Project period:** 2018-07-01 → 2023-06-30

## Primary source

NIH RePORTER: https://reporter.nih.gov/project-details/9963322

## Citation

> US National Institutes of Health, RePORTER application 9963322, Ecophysiological genomics of fat oxidation and renal vasoconstriction during acute dehydration (5R35GM128843-03). Retrieved via AI Analytics 2026-05-22 from https://api.ai-analytics.org/grant/nih/9963322. Licensed CC0.

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