Medical College of Wisconsin: Awarded $1.9 million for cardiovascular research in chronic kidney disease

MCW awarded $1.9 million for cardiovascular research in chronic kidney disease

The Medical College of Wisconsin (MCW) has been awarded a five-year $1.9 million grant from the National Institutes of Health (NIH) National Heart, Lung, and Blood Institute to investigate the underlying principles of chronic kidney disease (CKD) and its correlation to cardiovascular diseases. The primary aim of the research grant will be to study the condition at a molecular level and reveal new treatments for cardiovascular disease in CKD patients.

Alison J. Kriegel (PhD), assistant professor of physiology at MCW, is the principal investigator of the grant.

Cardiorenal Syndrome Type 4 (CRS4) is a condition in which CKD contributes to cardiovascular diseases such as enlargement of the heart, poor heart function and increased risk of heart attack. Cardiovascular disease is the leading cause of death among CKD patients and currently very little is known about how kidney disease can damage the heart.

Previous research has found a specific regulatory molecule (microRNA miR-21- 5p) to mitigate signaling proteins associated with the progression of cardiovascular disease. During the investigation, researchers will evaluate the significance of this particular molecule to better understand CRS4, or cardiovascular disease, in a CKD model. The overall goal of the research is to identify new preventative and therapeutic treatments for CKD patients at risk for developing cardiovascular diseases.

About the Medical College of Wisconsin

The Medical College of Wisconsin is the state’s only private medical school and health sciences graduate school. Founded in 1893, it is dedicated to leadership and excellence in education, patient care, research and community engagement. More than 1,200 students are enrolled in MCW’s medical school and graduate school programs in Milwaukee, and 26 medical students are enrolled at MCW-Green Bay. A regional medical education campus is scheduled to open in Central Wisconsin in 2016. MCW’s School of Pharmacy will open in 2017 or 2018 with an initial class size of 60 students. A major national research center, MCW is the largest research institution in the Milwaukee metro area and second largest in Wisconsin. In FY 2014-15, faculty received approximately $158 million in external support for research, teaching, training and related purposes, of which approximately $139 million is for research. This total includes highly competitive research and training awards from the National Institutes of Health (NIH). Annually, MCW faculty direct or collaborate on more than 3,200 research studies, including clinical trials. Additionally, more than 1,500 physicians provide care in virtually every specialty of medicine for more than 525,000 patients annually.