What can we learn about rare genetic kidney diseases and response to treatment from cells collected from urine?
Dr Stephen Walsh from University College London has received a PhD Studentship Grant of £91,000 to develop new, personalised ways to diagnose and treat kidney disease using cells collected from urine.
The problem
Many kidney diseases affect a specific type of cell within the kidney, and it can be difficult to understand the exact problems leading to an individual’s condition. Biopsies (small samples studied under the microscope) are often used, but are painful, invasive and offer limited information.
The solution
Stephen is going to collect urine from kidney patients and isolate a type of cell called ‘tubular cells’ that are sometimes present.
Working with a new PhD student, he will isolate and treat tubular cells to stop them from dying, before growing them on a ‘chip’ as a miniature 3D-model. The team will use this chip to study how the cells function, and respond to different treatments, giving results that are unique to the patient and supporting new approaches to diagnosis.
What this means for patients
This approach could be an important step towards personalised treatments by offering an exciting new way to look at how cells from different individuals function. Studying cells from urine offers a less intrusive approach to diagnosis than biopsy, and by testing treatment response in the lab the team hope to offer a simpler and more effective approach to managing complex kidney conditions. This approach can also be used to develop new treatments, potentially making research faster and cheaper.
Find out more
Read more about Stephen’s work here: https://www.londontubularcentre.org
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