Innovations in Kidney Care

Innovations in Kidney Care: Hope for the Future

The future of kidney care is bright, and it's being built today. From advances in treatments available for the early stages of kidney disease to breakthroughs in transplantation, innovation is transforming how kidney disease is understood, managed, and treated.  For people living with kidney disease, these developments offer new hope - hope for better quality of life, more personalized treatment options, and improved long-term outcomes.

Presenters

Dr. Justin Chun

Dr. Justin Chun is a nephrologist and Associate Professor of Medicine at the University of Calgary. He earned his MSc and PhD in Cell Biology at the University of Alberta and completed his clinical training at the University of Calgary. He then undertook postdoctoral research at Beth Israel Deaconess Medical Center and Harvard Medical School, supported by the KRESCENT program as both a postdoctoral fellow and new investigator. Dr. Chun is currently Co-Director of the Human Organoid Innovation Hub and Assistant Director of the Precision Medicine Program in Nephrology within the Snyder Institute for Chronic Diseases. His research focuses on diabetic kidney disease and the bioengineering of stem cell–derived kidney organoids for regenerative medicine, disease modeling, and drug testing. His patient-oriented program aims to identify new biomarkers and therapies to improve outcomes for people living with kidney disease.

Stephen G. Withers

Stephen G. Withers, FRS, is Emeritus Professor of Chemistry and Biochemistry at the University of British Columbia, where he served from 1982 to 2023 and continues to lead a research group. Trained in chemistry at the University of Bristol, with postdoctoral work in protein NMR at the University of Alberta, his research bridges organic chemistry and biochemistry, focusing on carbohydrate-active enzymes. His work has led to industrially used glycosynthases, therapeutic enzyme inhibitors, and recent advances in enzyme discovery that enable conversion of blood and organs to universal donor type O for transfusion and transplantation.

Sonia Kappaya

Sonia Kappaya is a strong, independent woman who works in Education and was diagnosed with Chronic Kidney Disease in her mid-thirties. Sonia is currently living with Reduced Kidney Function with a EGFR of 35-40. Though the Kidney journey began at the age of 2, doctors were unable to understand and diagnose CKD until her thirties. Sonia has experienced the ups and downs of her Kidney journey while keeping a smile on her face and telling jokes.