The Division of Nephrology maintains an active program of research, both basic and clinical. The basic research activities of the Division are supported by NIH, the Veterans Administration, the American Heart Association, and the clinical research is supported in part by the pharmaceutical industry. The major research projects include: the role of phospholipase A2 in acute ischemic injury to the kidney; the role of reactive oxygen species in renal injury, utilizing freshly isolated glomeruli and cultured cells, the role of endonuclease in renal epithelial injury, carbamylation in renal failure leading to vascular injury and in vivo models of glomerular disease and acute renal failure.
A major thrust in the division is on translational research. Novel agents to block the reactive oxygen species in renal injury models are planned to be evaluated in clinical trials. The role of carbamylation of proteins in renal insufficiency is being looked into in a large prospective trial to see if they influence cardiovascular burden of the disease.
Clinical studies include many pharmaceutical sponsored trials on hypertension, anemia and transplantation. A multi center cooperative study sponsored by NIH is ongoing to look at the outcome of acute renal failure in relationship to the intensity of dialysis support provided.