Michigan Kidney Translation Medicine Core (MiKTMC)

OUR GOAL The overarching goal of our research efforts is to define chronic organ dysfunction in mechanistic terms and use this knowledge for targeted therapeutic interventions. To reach this goal we have developed a translational research pipeline centered on integrated systems biology analysis of renal disease. METHODS Our interdisciplinary research team integrates information from a wide spectrum of human cohort studies we have initiated or are intimately involved with. In these prospective cohort studies, we test the precision medicine concept for renal disease by integrating information along the genotype-phenotype continuum using carefully monitored environmental exposures, genetic predispositions, epigenetic markers, transcriptional networks, proteomic profiles, metabolic fingerprints, digital histological biopsy archive, and prospective clinical disease characterization. RESULTS Our studies identified a multitude of novel disease predictors and therapeutic targets in renal disease. These molecules are currently undergoing systematic testing with our collaborators and partner in cohorts on four continents. A recent success emerging made possible by our work is the successful phase II trial of the Jak2 inhibitor Baricitinib as a novel therapeutic modality in diabetic kidney disease (ADA 2015) OUR TEAM The core of our efforts is our international, multidisciplinary team from three continents covering five disciplines supporting all elements of the translational research pipeline from enrolling study participants to generating kidney-specific knockout mice. We are actively recruiting staff members and have a longstanding track record training clinical and research fellows. If interested please contact us.