New approaches to identifying and removing harmful senescent cells in kidney disease patients
Dr Katie Mylonas' work is supported by a joint Kidney Research UK-Thompson Family Charitable Trust fellowship grant of £315,000.
The problem
Some kidney cells become old or 'senescent' as a person ages, or during chronic kidney disease (CKD). These cells can produce harmful substances leading to scarring and preventing repair. Senescent cells are associated with CKD, heart disease and diabetes and, importantly, high numbers of senescent cells in kidney transplants reduce the length of time they function.
"I am absolutely delighted to receive this grant from KRUK. It will support me over the next five years to study how senescence contributes to kidney disease, heart disease and diabetes. Working with doctors and nurses, this new knowledge will support development of new medications to improve kidney and heart health." Dr Katie Mylonas
The solution
Dr Mylonas will look at how increasing age, CKD, heart disease and diabetes reduce the body's ability to remove senescent cells. She will also investigate the cause of this problem, and ways in which it might be overcome. The research team at the University of Edinburgh will develop a safe way to look for senescent cells in patient's hearts and kidneys using an imaging technique called positron emission tomography (PET).
What this might mean for kidney patients
This research will help us to understand how senescent cells contribute to CKD, and accurately measure their levels in people living with CKD. This new knowledge will support development of new medications to target senescent cells.
Living with kidney disease
Want to find out about kidney disease progression, care and treatments for kidney failure, advice for dealing with diagnosis and ways to take control of your kidney disease?
Get information, advice and hear about other people's experience of living with kidney disease.
