A stem-cell derived auxiliary kidney to provide partial renal function in end stage renal disease patients

The ultimate aim of this disease team is to develop transplantable kidneys generated from human pluripotent stem cells. Patients with kidney failure are either treated with dialysis or donor organ transplantation. At present, chronic kidney (renal) failure costs the Australian Government $1 billion per annum (>$25 billion per annum in the US). Globally, more than 3 million patients a year require treatment for kidney failure, with >70% of these treated using dialysis and hence facing a poor quality of life and high mortality. Hence, there is an urgent need to find alternative treatment options. This team including renal clinicians, stem cell biologists and engineers has developed an approach to recreate human kidney tissue from human pluripotent stem cells (kidney organoids). Early studies transplanting such organoids shows that they link to the blood supply of the host. With improvements in scale and structure, this may provide functional replacement for failing kidneys as alternative to dialysis for the treatment of kidney failure.

For more information on this project contact Linda Cox on linda.cox@mcri.edu.au or +61 418 583 986.

Investigators from University of Melbourne

Investigators from other institutes