Non-invasive Diagnosis of Acute Kidney Injury in Premature Infants

At a Glance

Acute kidney injury is a common occurrence in premature infants in the neonatal intensive care unit and has significant implications for neonatal and long-term health outcomes, including permanent kidney damage. However, the current methods to detect kidney injury are inadequate. Matthew Harer, MD, Department of Pediatrics and collaborator Joshua Coon, PhD of the College of Agricultural Life Sciences, Department of Chemistry, will use their New Investigator Program award to evaluate a new method of detecting kidney injury, with the goal of identifying kidney injury before permanent damage. With early detection of kidney injury, the researchers will be positioned to design and test treatments that will result in healthier kidneys and lead to decreased chronic kidney disease as these babies become children and adults.