Medical Student Research Fellowship for Summer 2010

Mentor: Naim Maalouf
Department: Internal Medicine- Mineral Metabolism
Room number: CS6.504
a) Mail Code: 8885
Phone number: 214-648-2954
E-mail: naim.maalouf@utsouthwestern.edu
Project title: Regulation of Renal Calcium Transport by Acid-Base and Magnesium

Human subjects IRB approved project number (where applicable): 012008-066

Project Type: Patient-based research

Brief Description of Project: The goal of this project is to study urine magnesium-urine pH interaction in the regulation of urine calcium excretion in humans.

Magnesium is known to exert multiple protective effects against calcium oxalate stone risk. However, increasing urine magnesium also increases urine calcium, potentially mitigating the beneficial effects of magnesium on stone risk. In this metabolic research study in healthy human volunteers, we will assess whether the inhibitor activity of magnesium against calcium oxalate crystallization would be enhanced at a high urine pH.

Previous Research Activities or Publications with Medical Students:
- Grange Jacob. Ethnic Differences in the Presentation of Primary Hyperparathyroidism. Medical Student Research Fellowship for Summer 2009.

- Lee L, Saunders J, Zhou XJ, Maalouf NM. Acute interstitial nephritis complicating a new diagnosis of Wegener's granulomatosis. Hawaii Med J. 2008 Jan;67(1):12-4.