Identifying causes of kidney disease using human cells & tissue
Research type
Research Study
Full title
Identifying causes of kidney disease using human derived kidney cells and tissue
IRAS ID
237915
Contact name
John Waters
Contact email
Sponsor organisation
Cambridge University Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust and the University of Cambridge
Duration of Study in the UK
3 years, 10 months, 1 days
Research summary
Human kidney cells will be isolated from human kidney tissue provided under a previous ethics no. 15/NE/0408. These cells will be used in laboratory experiments to model kidney disease through standard and 3-dimensional culture. Whilst much can be discovered with animal experiments, data from human cells is needed to translate laboratory discoveries to the clinical setting. To provide further detailed analysis our laboratory cultures different human cell types together in 3 dimensional cultures to replicate a human disease. We will use the kidney tissue to isolate kidney cells and use these to interrogate signalling pathways (particularly a pathway known as the TGF-beta singling pathway) involved in kidney scarring in diseases such as diabetes, through orthodox 2 dimensional experiments as well as more detailed 3 dimensional cultures. This will help identify therapeutic targets for treatments which can also be tested on the 3 -dimensional culture system. In parallel the kidney tissue will also be used in small pieces in organ culture and to interrogate these signalling pathways.
REC name
London - Brent Research Ethics Committee
REC reference
18/LO/0257
Date of REC Opinion
20 Mar 2018
REC opinion
Further Information Favourable Opinion