2022 Research Awards Recipients

The Kidney Foundation of Canada is committed to achieving excellent kidney health, optimal quality of life, and a cure for kidney disease.  Founded in 1964 with the overarching goal of raising funds for research, The Kidney Foundation of Canada has since invested over $127 million dollars in research grants, awards and partnerships. We continue to value research as a lead generator of hope for those with kidney disease and their community.

Through targeted, peer-reviewed competitions, The Kidney Foundation of Canada supports Canadian researchers in their innovative, transformational, and novel ideas with the focus of improving the quality of life for our patients and community. Each year, our research community continues to make strides towards our goals and provide hope for a future without kidney disease.

The Kidney Foundation of Canada would like to congratulate our 2022 grant awardees listed below.

For more information on specific projects or to search for a specific topic or area, please visit our Supported Research page.
 

Allied Health Kidney Research Grant

Kiang, Tony

Co-Applicant(s):  James Lan, Sita Gourishankar
University of Alberta, AB
2022 - 2024:  $100,000
Project Title:  Effects of prednisone avoidance or tapering on mycophenolate exposure in adult kidney transplant patients
Category:  Transplantation

Nicholas, David

Co-Applicant(s):  Andrew Mantulak, Marcello Tonelli, R. Todd Alexander, Rosslynn Zulla
University of Calgary, AB
2022 - 2024:  $100,000
Project Title:  Examining the Impact of the COVID-19 Pandemic on Chronic Kidney Disease Patients, their Family Caregivers and Renal Care Providers: Towards Optimal Patient Care in a Pandemic
Category:  Patient Care, Quality of Life, Health Policy
 

Allied Health Kidney Scholarship

Riehl-Tonn, Victoria

Supervisor(s):  Sofia Ahmed
University of Calgary, AB
2022-2023:  $5,000
Project Title:  Sex, Gender, and Quality of Life in Patients Initiating Hemodialysis
Category:  Nursing
 

Kidney Health Research Grant

Burger, Dylan

Co-Applicant(s):  N/A
Ottawa Hospital Research Institute, ON
2022 - 2024:  $99,180
Project Title:  Role of neutrophil extracellular traps in diabetic kidney disease
Category:  Diabetes

Cybulsky, Andrey

Co-Applicant(s):  N/A
The Research Institute of the McGill University Health Centre, QC
2022 - 2024:  $100,000
Project Title:  Protein kinase SLK in the kidney
Category:  Glomenrulonephritis Kidney Biology

Dumanski, Sandra

Co-Applicant(s):  Amy Metcalfe, Kara Nerenberg, Shu Foong, Sofia Bano Ahmed, Todd Anderson
University of Calgary, AB
2022 - 2025:  $149,747
Project Title:  Reproductive Hormones and Cardiovascular Risk in Males with Kidney Disease
Category:  Hypertension Patient Care Predictive Biomarkers

Eliopoulos, Nicoletta

Co-Applicant(s):  N/A
Jewish General Hospital/Lady Davis Institute, QC
2022 - 2024:  $100,000
Project Title:  Treatment of Renal Cell Carcinoma Using Gene-Modified Mesenchymal Stem Cells
Category:  Cancer Genetics

Gunaratnam, Lakshman

Co-Applicant(s):  N/A
Western University, ON
2022 - 2024:  $100,000
Project Title:  KIM-1-mediated Suppression of Renal Cell Carcinoma
Category:  Cancer Urology Kidney Biology

Gupta, Indra

Co-Applicant(s):  N/A
The Research Institute of the McGill University Health Centre, QC
2022 - 2024:  $100,000
Project Title:  Establishing Efficacy of a Claudin-Based Treatment for Kidney Stones
Category:  Urology Water/Salt and Calcium Handling by the Kidney Patient Care

Harel, Ziv; Ray, Joel

Co-Applicant(s):  Maria P Velez, Natalie Dayan
St. Michael's Hospital, ON
2022 - 2024:  $97,773
Project Title:  Fertility Treatment and Pregnancy Complications in Women with Chronic Kidney Disease
Category:  Population Health

Hébert, Marie-Josée

Co-Applicant(s):  N/A
Centre Hospitalier de l'Université de Montréal, QC
2022 - 2024:  $100,000
Project Title:  Apoptotic exosomes as drivers of renal inflammation and dysfunction
Category:  Predictive Biomarkers Transplantation Renal Failure

Hébert, Richard

Co-Applicant(s):  N/A
University of Ottawa, ON
2022 - 2024:  $100,000
Project Title:  The effects of SGLT2 inhibition on renal PGE2 mediated transport in diabetes
Category:  Diabetes Water/Salt and Calcium Handling by the Kidney

Krepinsky, Joan

Co-Applicant(s):  Gregory Steinberg, Jackie Trink, Matthew Lanktree
McMaster University, ON
2022 - 2024:  $100,000
Project Title:  Investigating ATP citrate lyase (ACLY) in chronic kidney disease
Category:  Diabetes Kidney Biology Renal Failure

Mavrakanas, Thomas

Co-Applicant(s):  Abhinav Sharma, Michael Tsoukas, Rita Suri
The Research Institute of the McGill University Health Centre, QC
2022 - 2025:  $150,000
Project Title:  Safety and efficacy of SGLT-2 inhibitors in patients with advanced CKD
Category:  Dialysis Patient Care

Sapir-Pichhadze, Ruth

Co-Applicant(s):  Giada Sebastiani, Kaberi Dasgupta, Nicolas Fernandez, Sara Wing, Yi Yang
The Research Institute of the McGill University Health Centre, QC
2022 - 2024:  $99,993
Project Title:  Non-alcoholic Fatty Liver Disease and Kidney Transplant Outcomes
Category:  Transplantation Predictive Biomarkers Screening & prevention of renal disease

Takano, Tomoko

Co-Applicant(s):  Ciriaco A Piccirillo
The Research Institute of the McGill University Health Centre, QC
2022 - 2025:  $100,000
Project Title:  A novel mouse model of MCD driven by podocyte autoantigen and T/B crosstalk
Category:  Glomenrulonephritis Kidney Biology

Vinson, Amanda

Co-Applicant(s):  Beth Foster, Bhanu Prasad, Brendan Barrett, Clara Bohm, Isabelle Éthier, Karthik Tennankore, Marie-Chantal Fortin
Nova Scotia Health Authority, NS
2022 - 2025:  $97,467
Project Title:  Gender-Based Barriers to Referral for Kidney Transplantation in Canada
Category:  Transplantation Health Policy

Zheng, Xiufen

Co-Applicant(s):  Adam Greasley
Western University, ON
2022 - 2024:  $100,000
Project Title:  The impact of circular RNA MAP2K2 on immune rejection in kidney transplantation
Category:  Transplantation
 

Krescent New Investigator Award

Al Batran, Rami

Co-Applicant(s):  N/A
Université de Montréal, QC
2022 - 2025:  $198,783
Project Title:  Investigating the Role of Ketone Body Metabolism in Diabetic Kidney Disease
Category:  Screening & Prevention of Renal Disease
In partnership with the Fonds de recherche du QC – Société et culture (FRQSC)  and The Kidney Foundation of Canada

Canney, Mark

Co-Applicant(s):  N/A
Ottawa Hospital Research Institute, ON
2022 - 2025:  $210,000
Project Title:  Improving Cardiovascular Risk Stratification in Glomerular Disease
Category:  Glomerulonephritis
In partnership with the Canadian Institute of Health Research and The Kidney Foundation of Canada

Farragher, Janine

Co-Applicant(s):  N/A
University of Toronto, ON
2022 - 2025:  $210,000
Project Title:  Investigating Pathways to Promote Life Participation in Kidney Failure
Category:  Quality of Life

Lamarche, Caroline

Co-Applicant(s):  N/A
Hôpital Maisonneuve-Rosemont, QC
2022 – 2025:  KRESCENT Curriculum only
Project Title:  Immunotherapy in nephrology
Category:  Dialysis, Renal Failure
 

Krescent Infrastructure Support

Al Batran, Rami

Co-Applicant(s):  N/A
Université de Montréal, QC
2022 - 2023:  $25,000
Project Title:  Investigating the Role of Ketone Body Metabolism in Diabetic Kidney Disease
Category:  Screening & Prevention of Renal Disease

Canney, Mark

Co-Applicant(s):  N/A
Ottawa Hospital Research Institute, ON
2022 - 2023:  $25,000
Project Title:  Improving Cardiovascular Risk Stratification in Glomerular Disease
Category:  Glomerulonephritis

Farragher, Janine

Co-Applicant(s):  N/A
University of Toronto, ON
2022 - 2023:  $25,000
Project Title:  Investigating Pathways to Promote Life Participation in Kidney Failure
Category:  Quality of Life

Lamarche, Caroline

Co-Applicant(s):  N/A
Hôpital Maisonneuve-Rosemont, QC
2022 – 2023:  $25,000
Project Title:  Immunotherapy in nephrology
Category:  Dialysis, Renal Failure

Krescent Post-Doctoral Fellowship

Myette, Robert

Supervisor(s):  Dylan Burger, Christopher Kennedy
Ottawa Hospital Research Institute, ON
2022 - 2025:  $195,000
Project Title:  Molecular Mechanisms of Childhood Nephrotic Syndrome
Category:  Kidney Biology

Odutayo, Ayodele

Supervisor(s):  David Cherney, Jacob Udell
University Health Network, ON
2022 -  2024:  Curriculum only
Project Title:  Expanding the Use of SGLT-2 Inhibitors to Improve Cardiorenal Disease
Category:  Chronic Kidney Disease

Wang, Carol

Supervisor(s):  Amit Garg
London Health Sciences Centre Research Inc. (Lawson Health Research Institute), ON
2022 - 2025:  $65,000 (additional external support)
Project Title:  Pregnancy outcomes among living kidney donors
Category:  Organ Donation

Yau, Kevin

Supervisor(s):  Ron Wald, David Cherney
University of Toronto, ON
2022 - 2025:  $195,000
Project Title:  GLP-1 Receptor Agonists in Patients Receiving Maintenance Dialysis
Category: Dialysis

CDTRP Research Innovation Grant

Sandal, Shaifali

Co-Applicant(s):  Peter Nugus, Ann Bugeja, Amanda Vinson, Julie Ho, Marie-Chantal Fortin
The Research Institute of the McGill University Health Centre, QC
2022 - 2023:  $30,000
Project Title:  Experiencing graft failure and exploring re-transplantation: a patient perspective
Category:  Transplantation/Donation

Singh, Sunita

Co-Applicant(s):  David Cherney, Mamatha Bhat, Bruce Perkins, VikasSridhar
University Health Network, ON
2022 - 2023:  $30,000
Project Title:  The efficacy, mechanisms and safety of SGLT2i and GLP1RA combination therapy in kidney transplant recipients: The HALLMARK study
Category:  Transplantation/Donation