Researchers at the University of Southern Carolina (USC) have been working on developing a free, online kidney database that empowers stem cell scientists to generate tiny, human-like kidneys for testing new drugs and creating renal replacement therapies. The data they’ve collected contains information on the molecular, cellular, and genetic similarities between the formation of human and mouse kidneys.
Learning how kidneys are developed provides valuable insight for scientists to replicate the generation process, thus allowing them to create tiny kidneys that can be used to test new drugs, to be used to fight kidney disease. This new data that is so freely available may also provide scientists with ways to increase transplant rates and lower levels of dialysis needed. The median wait time for a kidney transplant is 3.6 years.1
By developing this software database, the USC researchers are providing the scientific world with an amazing tool to assist them in their research and development of new therapies and drugs to fight this horrible disease that afflicts so many in our country.
Sources:
1 https://medicalxpress.com/news/2018-02-tiny-kidneys-drugs-people-dialysis.html
More information on the study: Nils O. Lindström et al, Conserved and Divergent Molecular and Anatomic Features of Human and Mouse Nephron Patterning, Journal of the American Society of Nephrology (2018). DOI: 10.1681/ASN.2017091036
The open-source Database: http://www.gudmap.org/
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