Renal Medicine The renal medicine group continued to produce high quality basic research that led to publications in high impact journals and the securing of two patents for original discovery. The renal laboratory studies the role of epigenetics in renal disease, the impact of maternal factors on the health of the offspring and the factors that are associated with renal fibrosis. Importantly, the mechanisms, and factors leading to the progression of chronic kidney disease has been studied at both a basic and clinical level. The group has secured more than $10 million in research grants and philanthropic funds since 2018 and has 24 active clinical trials (as of December 2020). The renal leads, Professor Carol Pollock and Dr Muh Geot Wong, are frequently invited speakers at national and international conferences, and are recognised as leaders in their field. The renal clinical trial unit has a track record of participating in several phase II to phase IV clinical research over the past 21 years. The unit covers renal trials that include but are not limited to chronic kidney disease, diabetic kidney disease, cardiovascular health, glomerular disease, dialysis and its related complications, transplantation, hypertension, renal supportive care, and pregnancy related outcomes. The unit has successfully contributed to evidence generation and translation medicine and has made significant impact on clinical care. FUNDING HIGHLIGHTS FOR THE RENAL GROUP INCLUDE: $2.6m Medical Research Future Fund (MRFF) grant, to trial metformin therapy to ease the decline of kidney function in polycystic kidney disease (PKD). NHMRC project grant, to trial the treatment of cardiovascular disease with low dose rivaroxaban in advanced chronic kidney disease (CKD). MRFF grant, to trial repurposing existing medications to reduce severe acute respiratory distress in COVID patients. $5.5m $1.4m
Publication highlights include: › Cannon CP, Perkovic V, Agarwal R, Baldassarre J, Bakris G, Charytan DM, de Zeeuw D, Edwards R, Greene T, Heerspink HJL, Jardine MJ, Levin A, Li JW, Neal B, Pollock C, Wheeler DC, Zhang H, Zinman B, Mahaffey KW. Evaluating the Effects of Canagliflozin on Cardiovascular and Renal Events in Patients With Type 2 Diabetes Mellitus and Chronic Kidney Disease According to Baseline HbA1c, Including Those With HbA1c <7%: Results From the CREDENCE Trial. Circulation. 2020 Feb 4;141(5):407-410. doi: 10.1161/CIRCULATIONAHA.119.044359. Epub 2019 Nov 11. PMID: 31707795 › Habibalahi A, Moghari MD, Campbell JM, Anwer AG, Mahbub SB, Gosnell M, Saad S, Pollock C, Goldys EM. Non-invasive real-time imaging of reactive oxygen species (ROS) using auto-fluorescence multispectral imaging technique: A novel tool for redox biology. Redox Biol. 2020 Jul;34:101561. doi: 10.1016/j. redox.2020.101561. Epub 2020 May 12. PMID: 32526699; PMCID: PMC7287272 › Panchapakesan U, Pollock C. Organ protection beyond glycaemic control with SGLT2 inhibitors. Nat Rev Nephrol. 2021 Apr;17(4):223-224. doi: 10.1038/s41581-020-00373-4. PMID: 33159190 › Shi Y, Huang C, Zhao Y, Cao Q, Yi H, Chen X, Pollock C. RIPK3 blockade attenuates tubulointerstitial fibrosis in a mouse model of diabetic nephropathy. Sci Rep. 2020 Jun 26;10(1):10458. doi: 10.1038/s41598- 020-67054-x. PMID: 32591618; PMCID: PMC7319952 › WongMY, Saad S, WongMG, Stangenberg S, JarolimekW, Schilter H, Zaky A, Gill A, Pollock C. Semicarbazide-sensitive amine oxidase inhibition ameliorates albuminuria and glomerulosclerosis but does not improve tubulointerstitial fibrosis in diabetic nephropathy . PLoS One. 2020 Jun
18;15(6):e0234617. doi: 10.1371/journal. pone.0234617. PMID: 32555665; PMCID: PMC7302447
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RESEARCH ANNUAL REPORT 2020
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