Nephro-Urology Unit
(part of the Genes, Development and Disease theme)
Our mission is to improve the diagnosis, treatment and prognosis of children with kidney and urinary tract diseases by investigating the underlying causes and mechanisms of initiation and progression of these conditions with high quality basic science and clinical research.
The Nephro-Urology Unit was formed in 1997 under the supervision of Professor Adrian Woolf and moved into its extensively refurbished laboratory in 1998. The unit currently comprises a Unit Head (Dr Paul Winyard, Reader in Nephrology), two Readers in Paediatric Nephrology (Drs Detlef Böckenhauer and Lesley Rees), one Senior Research Associate (Dr David Long, Kidney Research UK Senior Non-Clinical Fellow / MRC New Investigator), as well as post-doctoral research fellows, clinical research fellows and graduate students. There are strong clinical links with Great Ormond Street Hospital for Children NHS Foundation Trust, with all of the Consultants in Nephro-Urology afforded Honorary Senior Lecturer status to facilitate research collaborations and the unit has two Academic Clinical Fellows in Nephrology. There are extensive laboratory facilities for molecular and cellular biology within the unit with strong links to affiliated laboratories including the Clinical & Molecular Genetics and Molecular Medicine Units, as well as with clinical staff in the Nephrology and Urology Departments within Great Ormond Street Hospital and with the Fetal Medicine Unit at University College Hospital.
Current active projects within the unit include investigations into:
- the genetics and cell biology of normal and abnormal development of the kidney and urinary tract;
- the reconstruction and functional restoration of abnormal genitourinary tracts;
- the renal vasculature and hypertension;
- nephrotic syndrome and vasculitis;
- the clinical consequences and treatment of kidney failure in children;
- control of differentiation of epithelial and endothelial cell lineages;
- genetics and cell biology of renal tubular disease;
- nutrition, growth and bone turnover in children with renal failure.
In addition, the unit has been very successful in academic training of PhD, MD, MSc and both national and international visiting fellows. The unit also organises and hosts the prestigious annual Paediatric Nephrology and Urology week and initiated the Kidney Development workshop which has now expanded into the yearly European Nephrogenesis workshop.
The Nephro-Urology Unit receives funding from the Kidney Research UK, Action Medical Research, the Medical Research Council, the Wellcome Trust, the Kids Kidney Research and several other sources.
Further details are given in the individual profiles/biographies attached to the staff list page.
Page last modified on 18 dec 12 22:14
