Utilising renal ultrasound insonation to augment serum detection of miR biomarkers of renal injury - fibrosis and repair

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This project will utilise a versatile ultrasound insonation system, comprising two high power single-element ultrasound transducers (1MHz unfocussed and 3.5MHz focussed) driven by an RF power amplifier and function generator. This novel technological application will be combined with the intravenous administration of both commercially available microbubbles or microbubbles developed in-house and used to determine whether perturbing a targeted organ (the kidney) can induce the release of microRNA molecules that provide important information regarding the the nature and structure of the organ. Following optimisation of the ultrasound insonation system and microbubble administration, experiments will determine which microRNA molecules are increased in the circulation or urine following perturbation of the normal kidney. Experiments will also use in situ hybridisation and flow cytometric cell sorting to define the cells of origin of the released microRNA molecules. Work will then be undertaken to examine the nature and cellular source of microRNA molecules released into the circulation from injured abnormal kidneys. This project will use the kidney as an exemplar organ and will develop and refine a new platform technology that may be used to interrogate the function and structure of other abdominal organs accessible to ultrasound as well as other tissues such as muscle etc.