Kidney Medicine
We aim to deliver an innovative programme of clinical and translational research in the areas of kidney disease and dialysis therapy, which will directly lead to improvements in treatments and outcomes for patients.
The kidney plays a central role in the elimination of waste products of metabolism, in regulating body water content, in controlling blood pressure and has several important endocrine functions. Perception of the importance of kidney health is generally low; kidney disease is often silent and goes unrecognised. Research has an important role in better describing the prevalence and the impact that kidney disease has on patients, to develop new techniques of detecting and imaging kidney damage, and to develop better treatments. The latter includes improvements to dialysis therapies, which at present are life saving but have significant complications and can negatively affect patients' quality of life.
Our key research aims are:
- Chronic Kidney Disease (CKD) refers to kidney damage over months to years that increases the risk of developing kidney failure and cardiovascular disease. However, not everyone is at the same risk. We are improving understanding of these risks and developing better methods to predict them.
- Acute Kidney Injury (AKI) means a sudden reduction in kidney function over hours to days. AKI is common and associated with dramatic reductions in life expectancy. We are researching methods of improving detection of AKI in clinical practice, better delivery of care to patients with AKI and discovering new ways of identifying and treating patients who may be at risk of long term complications.
- Dialysis treatment is associated with negative effects on the heart, brain, bones and muscles. We are investigating why these changes happen so we can develop and test new techniques and methods of delivering dialysis to better prevent these.
Our research
Study Kidney and Renal Medicine
We host clinical and allied health professionals who are studying full-time for postgraduate qualifications (PhD, MPhil) as well as trainees at all levels from the Clinical Academic Training Programme (Academic Foundation Doctors, Academic Clinical Fellows and Academic Clinical Lecturers). Students are provided with regular one-to-one supervision meetings and training in clinical research.