|
|
(HealthNewsDigest.com) – The Medical College of Wisconsin has received a four-year, $1.5 million grant from the National Institutes of Health’s National Heart, Lung and Blood Institute to evaluate human genetic variants contributing to end-stage renal disease (ESRD), or kidney failure.
Howard J. Jacob, Ph.D., Warren P. Knowles Professor of Genetics, professor of physiology and director (HealthNewsDigest.com) – The Medical College of Wisconsin has received a four-year, $1.5 mof the Human and Molecular Genetics Center at the Medical College of Wisconsin (MCW), is the principal investigator.
End stage renal disease usually occurs after years of chronic kidney disease, and is defined by the kidneys’ inability to work at a level required for day-to-day life. The incidence of ESRD has increased by 600 percent since 1980, and in 2010, more than 870,000 people were being treated for ESRD. Common causes include diabetes and high blood pressure, but genetic susceptibility also plays a critical role in the disease process.
In this project, Dr. Jacob’s research team will identify new genes involved in kidney function, evaluate identified variants believed to be involved in kidney failure, and glean a better understanding of the genetic architecture of proteinuria, a condition that is often a precursor of ESRD. New insights into this disease process could identify new therapeutic targets for treating ESRD.
This project is funded by NIH grant 2R01HL069321-09A1
About the Medical College of Wisconsin
The Medical College of Wisconsin is the state’s only private medical school and health sciences graduate school. Founded in 1893, it is dedicated to leadership and excellence in education, patient care, research and community engagement. More than 1,200 students are enrolled in the Medical College’s medical school and graduate school programs in Milwaukee. New regional medical education campuses are opening in Green Bay in 2015, and in Central Wisconsin in 2016, with each recruiting initial classes of 15-20 students. A major national research center, MCW is the largest research institution in the Milwaukee metro area and second largest in Wisconsin. In FY 2012-13, faculty received approximately $160 million in external support for research, teaching, training and related purposes, of which approximately $144 million is for research. This total includes highly competitive research and training awards from the National Institutes of Health (NIH). Annually, College faculty direct or collaborate on more than 2,000 research studies, including clinical trials. Additionally, more than 1,350 physicians provide care in virtually every specialty of medicine for more than 425,000 patients annually.
# # #
For advertising and promotion on HealthNewsDigest.com, call Mike McCurdy: 877-634-9180 or [email protected]. We have over 7,000 journalists as subscribers.