Nephrology
Significance of the relaxin receptor LGR7 in progressive kidney disease
Supervisor: Dr Tim Hewitson and Dr Chrishan Samuel
Location: Department of Nephrology, The Royal Melbourne Hospital and Howard Florey Institute, University of Melbourne
Contact details: 9342 7726; Email tim.hewitson@mh.org.au
The endogenous hormone relaxin, is emerging as a safe and effective novel therapy for progressive renal disease. Relaxin achieves this by inhibition of growth factors that promote the accumulation of excess matrix (scarring) and promoting regeneration by upregulating angiogenesis and inhibiting apoptosis. This project will use in vivo and in vitro models of kidney disease to examine the significance of the principal relaxin receptor LGR7. In vivo studies will compare the pathogenesis of fibrosis in normal mice and mice deficient in the LGR7 gene, while in vitro studies will utilise cells from these animals to elucidate the signal transduction mechanisms.
Skills: Knock-out model, small animal surgery, histopathology, molecular biology, cell culture
Anti-fibrotic efficacy of relaxin in experimental chronic kidney disease.
Supervisor: Dr Tim Hewitson and Dr Chrishan Samuel
Location: Department of Nephrology, The Royal Melbourne Hospital and Howard Florey Institute, University of Melbourne
Contacts: T: +61 3 9342 7726; Email tim.hewitson@mh.org.au
Kidney failure continues to be a major health problem worldwide. The final common pathway to all ongoing kidney disease is the accumulation of scar tissue (so-called fibrosis). Prevention or limitation of this progressive fibrosis is therefore a major clinical objective in renal medicine. Currently the best available therapies only delay the progression to end stage renal disease by a matter of months. The hormone relaxin, is an endogenous factor that protects the kidney from this process, by inhibiting TGFbeta signalling, a major factor promoting matrix accumulation. This project will compare the actions of relaxin to the best available therapies, to determine relative efficacy and synergies.
Skills acquired: Kidney biology, animal models, histopathology, biochemistry, molecular and cell biology.