Research Awards Recipients

Lay Summary
Kidneys are the filtration units of the body where blood is filtered to remove toxic wastes, which are then expelled from the body in the form of urine. Diseases affecting kidney function are associated with poor quality of life, increased risk of cardiovascular disease and premature mortality. Understanding the mechanisms causing chronic kidney disease, or contributing to the progression of the disease, is necessary for the design and development of effective therapies.
 
Immune reactions are often associated with the cause and progression of kidney diseases. Mechanisms are in place to regulate the type and vigor of immune reactions in the body. Failure of this regulation lead to unnecessary immune reactions causing tissue damage and autoimmunity. Immune cell functions are controlled by cell surface proteins called receptors. They bind to other proteins in different tissues as a mean of communication between cells and a way to determine the health of the tissue.
 
Dr. Makrigiannis will study an immune receptor using a mice model that develop a kidney disease characterized by inflammation and tissue damage. The main goal of his project is to identify which immune cells bear a specific receptor and how its interaction with other proteins in the kidney is necessary to maintain health in the organ.