Awardees

Award: KRESCENT New Investigator Award
Institution: University Health Network, University of Toronto
Year: 2016-2019

Dr. Ana Konvalinka is a nephrologist and clinician scientist at the University Health Network, and Assistant Professor at the University of Toronto. She completed training in nephrology and clinical transplantation in Toronto, as well as a Ph.D. in basic science, the Clinician Scientist Training Program, and the Clinician Investigator Program at the University of Toronto. The focus of her doctoral studies is the effect of angiotensin II on the proteome of primary human proximal tubular cells and the relevance of this effect in vivo. During her doctoral research she developed expertise in inflammatory and fibrotic mechanisms of kidney disease progression, as well as approaches based in proteomics and systems biology. Dr. Konvalinka currently leads the Multi-Organ Transplant biobank, which encompasses renal, pancreatic and hepatic programs.

Dr. Konvalinka’s main clinical and research interests are in antibody-mediated rejection, which is the leading cause of premature kidney allograft loss. The pathophysiology of antibody-mediated rejection is not completely understood, and therapeutic options are limited. This type of rejection is linked to antibodies directed against the donor allograft; however, not all antibodies lead to allograft injury. Dr. Konvalinka will utilize systems biology and proteomic approaches to identify antibodies that cause graft injury by studying human tissues and cells, developing improved tests for monitoring such antibody-mediated graft injury as well as identifying potential new treatments for antibody-mediated rejection.