Investigation of kidney microRNAs and their targets
using in vitro models
About Us:
Our lab is part of the Center for Clinical and Translational Research in Nationwide
Children’s. Most of our projects represent a link between the clinical and the basic science
worlds, with a focus on chronic and obstructive diseases of the urinary tract and kidneys.
Background:
Congenital Obstructive Nephropathy (CON) is the leading cause of chronic kidney
disease and renal failure in children. Inborn urinary tract obstructions are associated with
a wide range of presentations and outcomes, ranging from mild, which can go undetected
for years, to severe, causing early irreversible damage to the kidneys. Our long-term
research goals are to identify biological markers that can be used to assess and prognose
the effect of obstruction on the kidneys, and novel therapeutic targets to prevent, halt or
reverse injury to the kidneys caused by inborn obstructions. Our lab is interested in testing
the hypothesis that microRNA molecules (miRs) play critical roles in the renal response to
CON and that miRs thus represent a novel class of potential biomarkers and therapeutic
targets in CON. This specific project extends our previous work that implicated a particular
miR in the pathology of a mouse model of CON. This study will use in-vitro cell culture
models to further investigate this specific miR and its potential targets in epithelial cells
from normal and obstructed kidneys. The results from this project will advance our
understanding of the role(s) of our miR of interest in CON, and allow us to determine its
potential as a biomarker or therapeutic target.
Opportunity for Medical Students
Joining our lab for this summer project will give the medical student a chance to learn and
actively participate in many stages of our ongoing experiments. The student’s primary
project will involve determination of expression levels and subcellular localization of miR
and protein, and investigation of interactions between miR and potential intracellular
targets. Techniques the student will master may include establishing, managing, and
processing cell cultures; transfections; quantitative (real-time) PCR; in-situ hybridization,
ELISA, and western blotting. Depending on the student’s interests, there may also be
opportunities to attend research seminars, clinics, and clinical conferences at Nationwide
Children’s.
Contact Information:
Susan E. Ingraham, MD, PhD
Principal Investigator
Research Institute at Nationwide Children’s Hospital
Assistant Professor of Pediatrics, The Ohio State University
Division of Pediatric Nephrology
Email: Susan.Ingraham@nationwidechildrens.org
Phone: (614) 355-2731
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