USC’s Synthetic Kidney Project
Stem cell and kidney experts from the Eli and Edythe Broad Center for Regenerative Medicine and Stem Cell Research, the USC/UKRO Kidney Research Center, and other labs across USC have teamed up to push the boundaries of research and build a synthetic kidney to replace normal kidney function in patients. While this project is still in its early stages, the ultimate goal is to generate a substitute, transplantable organ from a patient’s own skin cells, eliminating the need for immunosuppressant drugs. The project’s two leading investigators are uniquely positioned to take on this challenge. Andrew McMahon, Ph.D., is one of the world’s leading authorities in stem cell research and commands an encyclopedic knowledge of kidney development. Zhongwei Li, Ph.D., specializes in creating the early building blocks of the kidney through the use of pluripotent stem cells. UKRO is proud to support this groundbreaking research through its contributions to the USC/UKRO Kidney Research Center.

For further information or questions, please contact Kelly Turner at Keck Medicine of USC at (310) 910-7547 or Kelly.Turner@med.usc.edu.
Watch a video on the synthetic kidney project with ABC7 Eyewitness News anchor Phillip Palmer.
Watch Dr. McMahon and Dr. Li discuss the synthetic kidney in a webinar and Q&A hosted by Keck Medicine of USC and UKRO.
The Future of Kidney Disease – The Synthetic Kidney from Keck School of Medicine of USC on Vimeo.