SP 1 - Fibromap

Dissecting myofibroblast activation and cross-talk in kidney fibrosis

Chronic kidney disease (CKD), defined by reduced glomerular filtration rate (GFR), proteinuria or structural kidney disease, affects 10% of the population in Europe and the United States and disease incidence is increasing steadily. Kidney fibrosis is a considered therapeutic target for CKD. Myofibroblasts are the cells that secrete scar and drive fibrosis, however their mechanism of activation and cross-talk to other cell-types is unclear. We will perform cutting edge transgenic and genomic technologies to dissect this cross talk and gain mechanistic insight into kidney fibrosis. The aim of this subproject is to dissect the heterogeneity of the renal mesenchyme in mouse and human and to understand how circulating cells drive the activation kidney resident mesenchyme to become fibrosis driving myofibroblasts with the ultimate goal to identify potential tissue biomarkers that can predict progression of CKD and to identify novel therapeutic targets.