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In the Kidney Center at Children's Hospital Colorado, we strive to get patients back where they belong: home. And while the outcomes for our patients consistently meet or exceed national benchmarks, our work is far from done.
Our commitment to continually raising the standard of kidney care means research and innovation are a vital part of what we do. We collaborate with other disciplines and institutions to share data, identify best practices and improve approaches to care.
Our physicians, nurse practitioners, nurses and other nephrology team members conduct every form of research. This includes performing laboratory-based research investigating the causes of many different pediatric kidney diseases, applying these new insights from the laboratory to pediatric patients through clinical and translational research, and conducting clinical trials investigating new treatments for these diseases. They also work on collaborative research studying the best management and outcomes of our pediatric kidney disease, pediatric kidney transplant and pediatric dialysis populations.
Scientists in our Kidney Center have many research interests spanning a broad range of basic science and clinical areas. These projects include:
- Acute kidney injury (AKI) in pediatrics
- Nephrotic syndrome and focal segmental glomerulosclerosis
- Thrombotic microangiopathies, such as Shigatoxin-associated hemolytic uremic syndrome and atypical hemolytic uremic syndrome (aHUS)
- Complement-mediated diseases, such as C3 glomerulopathy and Immune Complex MPGN
- Pediatric dialysis
- Improvements in pediatric kidney transplant outcomes
What our kidney research means for kids
Our kidney research means we can provide the most advanced and specialized care for kids with kidney conditions. Here, we know kids need different care than adults, and our pediatric research expertise enables us to offer care customized for kids. The Kidney Center sees several thousand patients each year and serves as the only 100% pediatric dialysis center in Colorado. We are proud to be at the forefront of research and teaching efforts to improve processes for transplants and dialysis.
Our specialized approach to research means we are working to understand every detail of kidney disease. In his lab, Russell Whelan, MD, focuses on using multiple approaches to understanding the mechanisms behind endothelial cell injury in kidney disease. A better understanding of these pathways of injury also supports his research in preventative and therapeutic approaches to preserving microvascular function in the kidney and beyond.
Here, the rare is common, and our research is offering new treatments and approaches to give our patients for even the rarest conditions. Atypical hemolytic uremic syndrome (aHUS) and C3 glomerulopathy (C3G) are two rare chronic complement-mediated kidney diseases with limited treatment options. Without effective treatment, these diseases cause loss of kidney function over time and can recur after kidney transplantation. An internationally recognized expert in the diagnosis and treatment of these diseases, Bradley Dixon, MD, leads a team of researchers conducting industry-sponsored clinical trials in new complement-targeted therapies being developed for these diseases.
"Every new research question; every new experiment, study, or clinical trial; every new result, discovery, or insight — they all come from our deep-seated drive to help make the children better that we see in the hospital and in our clinics every single day.”
- BRADLEY DIXON, MD
