Newswise — Charlottesville, Va. (June 23, 2019)—New treatments, exciting research and future trends in kidney health are the focus of discussion at the American Physiological Society (APS)/American Society of Nephrology (ASN) conference, Control of Renal Function in Health and Disease, in Charlottesville, Va.
“It’s an amazing time for kidney research,” said Donald Kohan, MD, PhD, from the University of Utah Health Center and the meeting’s keynote speaker. “We are increasingly finding that the kidney does not act alone, but that kidney health and disease are highly dependent upon the immune system, the nervous system and the cardiovascular system interacting in ways we never expected.”
Kohan will discuss the first new treatments for diabetes-related kidney disease in almost two decades, an increased understanding of the genetic causes of kidney disease and the impact of global environmental changes on renal injury as “an explosion of information” that informs evolving techniques and new therapies. Important progress in research—including technological advances that drive science—continues to improve renal physiologists’ understanding of hot topics in the field, such as the relationship between the gut microbiome and kidney function and sex differences in renal health.
Finding better animal models and alternatives to animal models, increasing focus on patients, making basic research more approachable and securing funding “for the ever-increasing challenge of discovering and developing new treatments for kidney disease” are crucial to move research forward, Kohan said.
Donald Kohan, MD, PhD, of the University of Utah Health Center, will present the keynote address, “New frontiers in kidney research: Overview of the field,” on Sunday, June 23, at the Boar’s Head Resort.
NOTE TO JOURNALISTS: The APS/ASN Control of Renal Function in Health and Disease conference will be held June 23–27 in Charlottesville, Va. To schedule an interview with the conference organizers or presenters, contact the APS Communications Office or call 301-634-7314. Find more research highlights in the APS News Room.
Physiology is the study of how molecules, cells, tissues and organs function in health and disease. Established in 1887, the American Physiological Society (APS) was the first U.S. society in the biomedical sciences field. The Society represents more than 10,000 members and publishes 15 journals with a worldwide readership.
Meeting Link: APS/ASN Conference: Control of Renal Function in Health and Disease
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