A new polymer developed by a Ph.D. student at the Institute of Physical Chemistry of the Polish Academy of Sciences in Warsaw could save many lives through early detection of acute kidney injury also known as AKI. The polymer works by trapping lipocalin-2 (NGAL), a protein which is elevated in the blood before AKI develops. With severe acute kidney injuries rising rapidly in the U.S. and elsewhere, new preventions and treatments are essential. This simple approach to isolating an early biomarker could one day lead to a much-needed standard test for AKI.
Source:
Diagnostics of the Future: New Polymer Warns of Dangerous Kidney Disease, EurekAlert, October 12, 2016