Dr. Campese on Coronavirus and the Kidney


Novel coronavirus disease (COVID-19) is a newly discovered contagious disease caused by severe acute respiratory syndrome (SARS)–coronavirus (CoV)-2 virus, primarily manifesting as an acute respiratory illness with interstitial and alveolar pneumonia, but it can affect multiple organs such as the kidney, heart, digestive tract, blood, and nervous system. The kidney appears to be a common … Continue reading Dr. Campese on Coronavirus and the Kidney

USC Researchers Use Nanoparticles to Target Kidneys


In an exciting cross-collaboration, researchers from the USC Viterbi School of Engineering and the Keck School of Medicine have created tiny nanoparticles, known as micelles, to target diseased kidney cells. Made with an ingenious kidney-targeting peptide, these biocompatible and biodegradable micelles can pass into the kidney and remain there, with the potential to deliver life-saving … Continue reading USC Researchers Use Nanoparticles to Target Kidneys

Diet Rich in Potassium Linked to Lower Blood Pressure


Research from Keck School of Medicine of USC researcher Alicia McDonough, Ph.D., could lead to a simple and tasty way to lower blood pressure. “Decreasing sodium intake is a well-established way to lower blood pressure, but evidence suggests that increasing dietary potassium may have an equally important effect on hypertension,” says McDonough. Examining the link … Continue reading Diet Rich in Potassium Linked to Lower Blood Pressure

Most Long-Term Type 1 Diabetes Patients Have Kidney Disease


A new study from the University of Pittsburgh reveals that most patients suffering from long-term Type 1 diabetes (T1D) have at least some level of kidney disease. Researchers studied a cohort of men and women with childhood-onset T1D diagnosed between 1950 to 1980 to assess the cumulative kidney complication risk after 50 years of living with the … Continue reading Most Long-Term Type 1 Diabetes Patients Have Kidney Disease

New Polymer to Detect Early Acute Kidney Injury


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 … Continue reading New Polymer to Detect Early Acute Kidney Injury

ESRD Linked to Drinking Diet Soda


New research from Johns Hopkins Bloomberg School of Public Health in Baltimore reveals a link between end stage renal disease and frequent drinking of diet sodas.  In this general population study, people who drank more than seven diet soft drinks a week faced an 83% higher risk of ESRD compared to those who consumed less than … Continue reading ESRD Linked to Drinking Diet Soda