The vertebrate kidney has an innate ability to regenerate after acute kidney injury (AKI) that is highly conserved across species.  During regeneration, the same transcription factors normally expressed during organogenesis are reactivated.  With Dr. Neil Hukriede, Department of Developmental Biology, we are using high throughput screening in zebrafish embryos to discover  molecules that activate organogenesis, and have found agents that ameliorate recovery from AKI and reduce fibrosis in mouse models when administered days after the injury has occurred.

We are currently developing an organoid-based kidney injury screening system to search for agents that prevent fibrosis, a hallmark of chronic kidney disease.