Groningen Institute for Kidney Diseases (GIKD)

Research programme


 Mission and objectives

  • To identify the pathophysiological mechanisms of progressive loss of renal function
  • To identify the link between renal and cardiovascular complications of common risk factors
  • To develop strategies for the prevention of renal and related cardiovascular function loss and to resolve individual therapy resistance, based on insight into these mechanisms

back to toptop


Research Area
The programme studies these pathways and the potential therapeutic interventions under three sets of circumstances, thereby integrating experimental, clinical, and epidemiological approaches. Thus, three sub-programmes are operative.

1. Renal function in normal subjects. Little is known about the incidence and magnitude of renal  function loss in the general population (i.e. in subjects not previously diagnosed as having renal disease), and the mechanisms underlying the susceptibility to renal damage in healthy subjects, including common pathways with cardiovascular disease.  This sub-programme is divided into three research lines:          
    a. Mechanisms of renal function loss and its complications
    b. Kidney-Heart and Kidney-Vessel interactions
    c. Detection strategies and therapeutic interventions

2.   Renal diseases of various origin. It has been well documented that a patient who experienced a certain type of renal disease will progress to end stage renal failure, independent of the type of the initial renal insult. This sub-programme is divided into three research lines:         
    a. Mechanisms of renal function loss and its complications
    b. Kidney-Heart and Kidney-Vessel interactions
    c. Therapeutic interventions    

        3. Renal transplantation. Because the mechanisms underlying chronic renal transplant dysfunction overlap the mechanisms underlying renal function loss in diseases of native kidneys, the mechanisms as studied in diseases of native kidneys are also evaluated in renal transplantation. This sub-programme is divided into three research lines:          
           a. Mechanisms of renal function loss and its complications
           b. Kidney-Heart and Kidney-Vessel interactions
           c. Therapeutic interventions

        

      back to toptop

        
       

      Contact
      Programme leaders

      Name: Prof.Dr. Paul E. de Jong
      Phone: +31 (0) 50 361 3434
      e-mail Prof. de Jong

      address:
      Department of Internal Medicine Nephrology
      Groningen University Medical Center
      Hanzeplein 1
      P.O. Box 30.001
      NL-9700 RB Groningen

      Name: Prof.Dr. Dick de Zeeuw
      Phone: + 31 (0)50 363 2838
      e-mail Prof. de Zeeuw

      address:
      Deptartment of Clinical Pharmacology
      Groningen University Medical Center
      Antonius Deusinglaan 1
      PO.box 196
      NL- 9700 AD Groningen

back to toptop