Targeting oxalate metabolism for renoprotection (B07 (C05))

• Subject Area: Nephrology ; Anatomy and Physiology
• Term: Funded in 2023
• Project identifier: Deutsche Forschungsgemeinschaft (DFG) - Project number 394046635

Oxalate is a metabolic waste product without a known physiological function in humans. It is absorbed through the gastrointestinal tract as part of the diet and eliminated by the kidney. Elevated urinary oxalate may lead to calcium-oxalate crystal formation and chronic kidney disease (CKD). The proposed project aims to (1) define the role of the gut microbiome in oxalate nephropathy and explore its renoprotective potential; (2) examine the mechanisms mediating oxalate-induced toxicity with a focus on the potential renoprotective role of the oxalate transporter SLC26A6; (3) define the morbidity and mortality associated with increased plasma oxalate levels and the contribution of genetic polymorphisms in patients with CKD.

• DFG Programme: Collaborative Research Centres
• Subproject of: SFB 1365: Renoprotection
• Applicant Institution: shared FU Berlin and HU Berlin through:; Charité - Universitätsmedizin Berlin
• Project Heads: Professor Dr. Kai-Uwe Eckardt; Professor Dr. Felix Knauf