UT southwestern O'Brien Kidney Research Core Center

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This is an application for renewal of a George M. O'Brien Kidney Research Core Center at the University of Texas Southwestern Medical Center at Dallas. The Director is Dr. Peter Igarashi, Professor of Internal Medicine and Pediatrics, and Chief of the Division of Nephrology at UT Southwestern. The overall goal of the Center is to promote bidirectional interactions between basic scientists and clinical researchers that will fundamentally advance our understanding of kidney development and pathophysiology and result in more effective treatments of chronic kidney disease and it complications. To achieve this goal, the Center supports Biomedical Research Cores, Pilot & Feasibility Grants, and an Educational Enrichment Program. The four Biomedical Research Cores are: 1) Animal Models, 2) Physiology, 3) Cell Biology & Imaging, and 4) Clinical & Translational Research. The Cores support kidney research that is conducted by 49 investigators at UT Southwestern, three other academic institutions in North and Central Texas, and a foreign institution that is formally affiliated with UT Southwestern. Research is conducted in the areas of kidney development & genetics, renal physiology & pathophysiology, and chronic kidney disease. In addition, three of the Cores provide services or reagents that are widely utilized by off-campus kidney researchers located at numerous institutions throughout the U.S. and worldwide. Since its establishment in 2007, the Center has supported 111 published articles as well as new scientific collaborations and grant applications. Studies that are supported by the Center have provided new insights into the pathogenesis and treatment of congenital kidney abnormalities, polycystic kidney disease, lupus nephritis, diabetic nephropathy, electrolyte disturbances, and complications of chronic kidney disease. To expand the pool of kidney researchers, the Center awards two Pilot & Feasibility Grants per year to new investigators or established investigators from other fields. The Educational Enrichment Program includes a monthly research seminar, annual symposium, training grants, and courses offered through the Dept. of Clinical Sciences as well as practical hands-on training in each of the Cores.