2007

Post-Doctoral Fellowships

	Dr. R. Todd Alexander Radboud University, Nijmegen (the Netherlands) Supervisor: Dr. René Bindels Funded by CIHR Clinical Scientist Phase I Award 2007-2010 Dr. Alexander obtained his M.D. from the University of Western Ontario and Ph.D from the University of Toronto. He will complete his Post-Doctoral Fellowship with Dr. René Bindels at Radboud University in Nijmegen (the Netherlands). His research project focuses on how the kidney regulates whole body calcium levels in both health and kidney disease. The aim of the project is to understand how a recently discovered hormone, klotho, increases the activity of transport proteins, enabling them to retain calcium in the blood, thereby preventing the development of kidney stones and osteoporosis.
	Dr. Scott Harvey Washington University – St. Louis, Missouri Supervisor: Dr. Jeffrey Miner KRESCENT FELLOWSHIP 2007-2009 Dr. Scott Harvey will complete his Post-Doctoral Fellowship with Dr. Jeffrey Miner in the Renal Division of Washington University in St. Louis, Missouri. His research will explore the importance of microRNAs in kidney development and function. MicroRNAs are regulatory molecules that act to dampen or silence gene expression. Dr. Harvey will identify microRNAs present in kidney, and will disrupt their actions using genetic strategies. His work may lead to the discovery of new pathways that are disrupted in certain kidney diseases, and in doing so, point to new therapeutic targets.
	Dr. Matthew James University of Calgary Supervisor: Dr. Brenda Hemmelgarn Shire Biochem-KRESCENT joint Fellowship 2007-2010 Dr. Matthew James obtained his M.D. from the University of British Columbia. He will complete his Post-Doctoral Fellowship with Dr. Brenda Hemmelgarn at the University of Calgary. Dr. James’ training will be in clinical epidemiology of acute and chronic kidney disease. His research focuses on the long-term effects of acute kidney injury on kidney function in people with pre-existing chronic kidney disease. In particular, he will study changes in kidney function that may occur after coronary angiography. The results of this project will help inform patients and physicians on the relative risks and benefits of these medical procedures, and will help guide the care of patients with kidney disease after they undergo coronary angiography.
	Dr. Jean-Philippe Lafrance Boston University Supervisor: Dr. Donald R. Miller KRESCENT FELLOWSHIP 2007-2009 Dr. Jean-Philippe Lafrance obtained his M.D. from the University of Montreal. He will complete his Post-Doctoral Fellowship with Dr. Donald R.Miller at Boston University, where he will study the risks of developing side effects from various nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drugs (NSAIDs), themost commonly used form of medication worldwide. Principally used for pain, inflammation and fever, NSAIDS can have various side effects on the stomachand kidney, ranging from leg swelling to kidney dysfunction. New NSAIDs with fewer negative effects on the stomach have been developed recently, buttheir effect on the kidney is not clear. His research findings may assist primary health care practitioners in prescribing the most suitable drug fortheir patients; and may ultimately reduce NSAID kidney-related side effects and hospitalizations.
	Dr. Joseph Ly University of Toronto Supervisor: Dr. S. Quaggin KRESCENT FELLOWSHIP 2007-2010 Dr. Joseph Ly obtained his M.D. from the University of Toronto where he also completed a Nephrology Fellowship with Dr. K. Kamel. He will complete a Post-Doctoral Fellowship with Dr. S. Quaggin of the Samuel Lunenfeld Research Institute in Toronto, where he will study cystic kidney disease, a major genetic cause of kidney failure. His research will define the pathology and proteins expression of a newly identified mutant called “sweet pee” that exhibits dramatic cystic changes in the kidneys including the glomerulus, and glucosuria (sugar in the urine) on urinalysis. Characterizing the gene involved is expected to further understanding of cystic kidney diseases and may lead to potential therapeutic interventions.
	Dr. Chih-Chang Wei Brigham and Women's Hospital, Boston Supervisor: Dr. Joseph V. Bonventre KRESCENT FELLOWSHIP 2007-2010 Dr. Chih-Chang Wei obtained his Ph.D. in the Faculty of Medicine at the University of Montreal. He will complete his Post-Doctoral Fellowship with Dr. Joseph Bonventre at the Brigham and Women's Hospital in Boston, where he will study kidney injury molecule-1 (KIM-1) which is strongly apparent in various diseased kidneys. Understanding the function of KIM-1 will provide important insight into the role of this protein in kidney injury and repair processes; and may identify KIM-1 as an important therapeutic target for acute and chronic renal disease.

New Investigator Award

Dr. Katalin Szaszi
St. Michael's Hospital, Toronto

KRESCENT NEW INVESTIGATOR AWARD 2007-2010
KRESCENT INFRASTRUCTURE SUPPORT 2007-2008

Dr. Katalin Szaszi is a new investigator at St. Michael's Hospital in Toronto. She completed her M.D. and Ph.D. in Molecular and Cellular Physiology at Semmelweis University in Hungary and a Post-Doctoral internship in Cell Biology at The Hospital for Sick Children in Toronto. She will be studying the cell connections central to the structural integrity of the epithelium of the kidney’s functional units or tubules. Regulation of these connections is pivotal for normal functioning of the kidney but a number of diseases can alter them. Her research aims to study the molecular activities that associate these structures with negative outcomes such as kidney inflammatory responses, scarring and organ failure.

The KRESCENT Program is a Strategic Training Program developed and supported by:

With additional generous support from:

AMGEN Baxter Corporation Merck-Frosst Canada Ltd. Ortho Biotech RocheShire BioChem Inc.