Dr. Aman Bajwa Awarded $3.7 Million to Develop Early Detection Test for Kidney Damage

Aman Bajwa, PhD, professor of Surgery at the University of Tennessee Health Science Center has been awarded a multi-principal investigator R01 grant from the National Institute of Diabetes and Digestive and Kidney Diseases (NIDDK), part of the National Institutes of Health.

The five-year, $3.7 million award supports a groundbreaking project titled, "Utilizing Resazurin Fluorescence to Monitor Kidney Function and Organic Anion Transporter Activity." Dr. Bajwa shares the award with principal investigator Navjot Pabla, PhD, of Ohio State University.

The research team is advancing the discovery and development of a novel fluorescent dye, resazurin, that could substantially improve clinicians' ability to detect and monitor kidney injury. Unlike conventional kidney function tests, which often fail to identify damage until significant injury has occurred, the resazurin-based test is designed to detect kidney dysfunction much earlier, potentially even before irreversible damage develops.

A Critical Gap in Kidney Care

Current clinical assessment of kidney function remains largely centered on serum creatinine, blood urea nitrogen, estimated glomerular filtration rate (GFR), and urinary protein measurements - surrogate markers that are relatively insensitive to early injury and often become abnormal only after substantial nephron loss has already occurred. Although clinically valuable, these tests predominantly reflect glomerular filtration and provide limited insight into early renal tubular damage, which is essential for maintaining fluid, electrolyte, and metabolic homeostasis.

In settings such as acute kidney injury (AKI), apparent recovery of GFR may occur despite persistent tubular injury, masking ongoing disease activity and increasing the risk of progression to chronic kidney disease.

"Conventional kidney function tests frequently fail to detect injury at its earliest and most treatable stages," said Dr. Bajwa. "By the time a decline in GFR becomes evident, significant nephron loss has often already occurred, highlighting the urgent need for more sensitive and precise tools to enable earlier and more effective intervention."

A Dye That Detects Damage Sooner

Resazurin, a fluorescent dye identified by the research team, acts as a non-invasive sensor of tubular function and nephron mass. After intravenous administration, the dye is selectively taken up by tubular cells in the kidney, metabolized into fluorescent compounds, and excreted in urine. This process provides a measure of kidney tubular health that is independent of GFR.

Preclinical studies in animal models of severe AKI and nephron loss have demonstrated that urinary excretion of resazurin metabolites is a sensitive indicator of both tubular dysfunction and nephron mass reduction, even when conventional GFR measurements appear normal.

The current grant will support further investigation into how resazurin is transported and metabolized in the kidney, as well as rigorous testing of its sensitivity and accuracy in animal models of kidney injury. These studies are designed to generate proof-of-principle data to support future clinical translation.

Transforming Early Detection and Intervention

If successfully translated to human use, the resazurin-based test could:

• Detect nephron loss earlier than existing clinical methods
• Identify high-risk acute kidney injury patients before irreversible damage occurs
• Improve monitoring of kidney recovery following injury
• Provide a rapid, non-invasive, and precise tool for assessing kidney health

Ultimately, the technology has the potential to reshape how kidney function is measured in both research and clinical settings.

"This work could fundamentally change the way we assess kidney function," Dr. Bajwa said. "Our goal is to provide clinicians with a tool that allows them to detect early tubular dysfunction, intervene sooner, and improve outcomes for patients at risk of kidney disease."

"Dr. Aman Bajwa's NIH-funded work reflects the strength of the UT Health Science Center College of Medicine, rigorous science aimed at real clinical impact," said Michael Hocker, MD, executive dean of the College of Medicine. "This project exemplifies the kind of translational research that can move us toward earlier detection, smarter intervention, and better outcomes for patients."

"Dr. Aman Bajwa is an outstanding scientist whose work reflects the best of translational research-deep mechanistic insight paired with a clear path to improving patient care," said Jessica Snowden, vice chancellor for Research at UT Health Sciences. "The potential to detect kidney injury earlier could reshape how clinicians identify and intervene in disease. This NIH award recognizes both the originality of Dr. Bajwa's work and the collaborative research environment at the UT Health Science Center that supports discoveries with real clinical impact."

The award underscores the UT Health Science Center's leadership in translational research and its commitment to advancing innovative solutions to complex health challenges.