Computer Modeling Points to New Drug Target for PKD


Researchers from Indiana University have made important discoveries about PKD cyst formation using virtual tissue technology. Building a virtual nephron, the scientists used computer simulation to show that PKD gene mutations caused errors in cell adhesion. When cells failed to stick together, they formed mushroom-shaped cysts. When cells stuck together, but failed to stop growing … Continue reading Computer Modeling Points to New Drug Target for PKD

Inflammation Linked to Diabetes After Transplant


Researchers have been unable to explain why up to 30 percent of organ transplant patients develop diabetes. Immunosuppressant drugs have topped the list of possible causes, leading doctors to believe that diabetes may be inevitable for some patients. A new study from Thomas Jefferson University in Pennsylvania reveals that the culprit may be inflammation caused … Continue reading Inflammation Linked to Diabetes After Transplant

Smoking Poses Kidney Risk for African Americans


While the link between smoking and kidney disease risk is well known, a new study from the University of Mississippi Medical Center shows that smoking may be particularly harmful for African Americans. The researchers were able to analyze kidney function and decline in 3,648 African Americans ranging in age from 21 to 84 years. They found that smokers … Continue reading Smoking Poses Kidney Risk for African Americans

Gut Bacteria Linked to Poor Health in Kidney Disease Patients


Scientists are only just beginning to learn the many ways our gut microbiota can contribute to both good health and disease. A research team from Belgium’s University Hospitals Leuven has uncovered a link between high levels of a gut bacterial metabolite called PAG (phenylacetylglutamine) and poor health in patients with chronic kidney disease. In their … Continue reading Gut Bacteria Linked to Poor Health in Kidney Disease Patients

Top News on Kidney Transplant Innovations


Our roundup of the latest kidney transplant news brings together exciting studies and innovations designed to increase successful transplants by improving the procurement system, introducing new procedures, and maximizing the use of donor organs. A recent article in the New York Times describes a promising new transplant procedure called desensitization, which alters patients’ immune systems so … Continue reading Top News on Kidney Transplant Innovations

Do Female Hormones Protect the Kidney?


Two new studies point to interesting evidence that female hormones may protect women’s kidneys from damage, suggesting novel gender-based avenues to safeguard kidney health for women and men. Research from the Perelman School of Medicine at the University of Pennsylvania suggests that female hormones may provide greater resistance to kidney damage following a kidney transplant. The scientists found that even when … Continue reading Do Female Hormones Protect the Kidney?