PCEN Research Funding

Early-stage investigators, new investigators, or established investigators not previously involved in pediatric nephrology research are invited to apply. Research topics should be human subjects research related to the prevention, treatment, or progression of kidney disease in children and its associated morbidities, and identifying novel strategies for subsequent clinical trials.

• Intent to apply surveys are due by Friday, April 4, 2025 at 5:00 p.m. EST.
• Invitations to submit Full Applications will be issued by April 11, 2025.
• Full Applications are due by Friday, June 6, 2025 at 5:00 p.m. EST.
• Awards will be announced in late July 2025.

The funding period will be September 1, 2025 to August 31, 2026.

More information about application guidelines is available in the Call for Proposals. All applications should be submitted electronically to our program email, [email protected], as PDFs.

Please contact [email protected] with questions about applying or funding.

Principal Investigator: Shruthi Mohan, MD
Project Title: Combination of Bioelectrical Impedance Analysis and NT-pro BNP to assess fluid status in children undergoing continuous renal replacement therapy: A prospective observational comparative study
Core: N/A

Principal Investigator: Ashton Chen, DO
Project Title: Impact of social drivers of health on pediatric kidney transplant outcomes
Core: Learning Health System Core

Principal Investigator: Arthur Lee, MD
Project Title: Paired pre/post-Dialysis Investigation of Global Metabolomics (P/paraDIGM)
Core: N/A

Principal Investigator: Cal Robinson, MBChB
Project Title: REduced-dose Steroid PrOtocol for childhood Nephrotic SyndromE(RESPONSE): A Pilot Open-Label Randomized, Controlled Trial
Core: N/A

Principal Investigator: Beverly Davidson, PhD
Project Title: Novel AAV Capsid Variants for Kidney Targeted Gene Therapy
Core: N/A
*Partially Funded

Principal Investigator: Christian Hanna, MD, MS
Project Title: Assessing the Accuracy of Measuring Total Kidney Volume and Characterizing Kidney Cysts in Children with Autosomal Dominant Polycystic Kidney Disease Using Three-Dimensional Ultrasound and Deep Learning Approaches
Core: N/A

Principal Investigator: Rebecca Levy, MBBCh, BAO, MSc
Project Title: Variation in the Care of Adolescents and Young Adults with Chronic Kidney Disease between Internal Medicine and Pediatric Nephrologists
Core: Learning Health System Core

Principal Investigator: Daryl McLeod, MD, MPH, and Brian Becknell, MD, PhD, at Nationwide Children’s Hospital
Project Title: Proteomic Analysis to Predict Kidney Disease Progression in Children with Congenital Urinary Tract Obstruction
Core: Administration Core (CKiD Collaboration)

Principal Investigator: Joyce Samuel, MD, assistant professor, McGovern Medical School at University of Texas Health Science Center
Project Title: Feasibility of N-of-1 Trials in Children with Hypertension and Chronic Kidney Disease (NICHE-CKD) study
Core: Learning Health System Core

Principal Investigator: Vikas Dharnidharka, MD, MPH, professor, Washington university in St. Louis School of Medicine
Project Title: Comparative effectiveness of treatments for recurrent focal segmental glomerulosclerosis in pediatric kidney transplantation
Core: Learning Health System Core

Principal Investigator: Erum Hartung, MD, MTR, assistant professor, CHOP
Project Title: Develop and Validate a Computable Phenotype for ARPKD
Core: Learning Health System Core

Three additional projects were partially supported with seed funding through the Pilot and Feasibility Program.

Principal Investigators: Hillarey Stone, DO (Fellow, University of Cincinnati), Edward Nehus, MD, assistant professor, University of Cinncinati, and Mark Mitsnefes, MD, professor, University of Cinncinati
Project Title: Treatment Practices and Outcomes in Children with IgA Vasculitis with Nephritis
Core: Learning Health System Core

Principal Investigator: Rebecca Ruebner, MD, assistant professor, Johns Hopkins University
Project Title: Pubertal Effects on Kidney Disease Progression and Cardiovascular Disease in Children with CKD
Core: Clinical Phenotyping Core

Principal Investigator:Amy Kogon, MD, MPH, assistant professor, CHOP
Project Title: Determinants of Obesity in Pediatric CKD and the Links to Cardiovascular Outcomes
Core: Clinical Phenotyping

Principal Investigators: Meredith Atkinson, MD, MHS, associate professor of Pediatrics, Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine, and Scott Wenderfer, MD, PhD, associated professor, Baylor College of Medicine
Project Title: Learning Health Systems for Pediatric Lupus and Lupus Nephritis Research
Core: Learning Health System

Two additional projects were partially supported with seed funding.

Principal Investigator: Oleh Akchurin, MD, PhD, assistant professor, Weill Cornell Medicine
Project Title: Pilot Clinical Trial of Oral Iron Therapy in Pediatric CKD
Core: Clinical Phenotyping

Principal Investigator: Abdulla Ehlayel, MD, clinical assistant professor, LSU School of Medicine; former CHOP Nephrology Fellow
Project Title: Volume Assessment in Dialysis Patients using Ultrasound, Anthropometric Measurements and Bioimpedance
Core: Clinical Phenotyping