Summer 2025 compilation Research highlights from the BC Renal network | Hello BC Renal research community, Welcome to our summer compilation of the six stories and two researcher profiles we first shared in April through June! We hope you find value in re-reading them or reading them for the first time. We also encourage you to share this newsletter broadly for increased understanding of published kidney research with a BC connection as well as the researchers involved! | Acute kidney injury in children significantly increases risk of future kidney complications New evidence shows children who experience acute kidney injury (AKI) are at significantly high risk of experiencing kidney health complications later in life, with 18 percent of these children at risk. The results, published in the Journal of the American Association Society of Nephrology, suggest pediatricians and family doctors should closely monitor children’s kidney health following AKI. While some studies had already shown a link between AKI in children and long-term kidney health complications, these studies tended to be small or in certain populations (e.g., premature babies, pediatric cancer patients, and children in intensive care units). Read full story | | Cardiovascular considerations in choosing a medication for glomerular disease A new study suggests some drugs used to treat glomerular disease, such as calcium inhibitors and cyclophosphamide, are associated with an increased risk of cardiovascular complications. The results, published in Kidney International, could help patients and doctors make more informed treatment decisions when taking long-term side effects into consideration. Read full story | | Researcher Q & A Pediatric nephrologist Dr. Susan Samuel is a new investigator at BC Children’s Hospital Research Institute (BCCHR) and a professor in the Department of Pediatrics at the University of British Columbia. She is also serving as the director for the Empowering Next-Generation Researchers in Perinatal and Child Health (ENRICH) program, a national network of mentors and learners. Read this Q & A to learn about nephrotic syndrome in children, Dr. Samuel's career path, and her insights into the importance of research and mentorship: Unlocking the mystery of nephrotic syndrome in kids: Q&A with new investigator Dr. Susan Samuel | | Study helps identify people with type 1 diabetes who are at high risk of kidney disease A study assessing the long-term kidney health of people with type 1 diabetes (T1D) reveals several factors associated with a sharp decline in kidney function. The factors include poor glycemic control resulting in high blood sugar, being overweight or obese, albuminuria (the presence of the protein albumin in the urine), and high blood pressure. Of note, women with a high body mass index (BMI) - and especially those classified as obese - were at particularly high risk of experiencing sharp kidney function decline and kidney disease. | | Dr. Kristen Favel is a researcher at the University of San Francisco, who helped lead the study while completing a fellowship at BC Children’s Hospital in Vancouver, BC between 2018 and 2022. “We were interested in breaking down and understanding the longitudinal trajectories of kidney function over time for patients with type 1 diabetes,” Favel explains. Read full story | Study identifies opportunities to improve Indigenous children’s kidney transplant journey in Canada A scoping review of studies from four settler-colonial countries has revealed notable disparities of Indigenous children's access to kidney transplants and related health outcomes. The results have laid the foundation for a national qualitative study in | | Canada, led by Dr. Samantha Anthony of the University of Toronto. The multi-centre study includes interviews with Indigenous patients, families and stakeholders (e.g., Elders and Knowledge Keepers) to capture their stories and identify opportunities to improve kidney transplant access, care and outcomes. Dr. Mina Matsuda-Abedini, a pediatric nephrologist and researcher at BC Children’s Hospital in Vancouver, was involved in the review and is part of the Canadian study. Of note, the review and study have been co-led by an advisory committee of Indigenous patients and families who partner to set the research direction, and ensure cultural relevance and alignment with the priorities of the Indigenous communities involved. Read full story | New evidence prompts funding of rituximab for all British Columbians with membranous nephropathy | Membranous nephropathy has traditionally been treated with the drug cyclosporine – yet new evidence suggests a more expensive drug, called rituximab, is a better bargain when long-term costs and patient health are taken into account. As a result of these findings, BC Renal, which plans and coordinates health-care services for British Columbians with kidney disease, has changed its funding structure to provide rituximab as a first-line treatment for membranous nephropathy. | | Membranous nephropathy occurs when a person’s immune system causes harmful inflammation in the kidneys. For many years, cyclosporine has been the primary drug chosen to treat the condition. However, this treatment option has several downsides, including the fact that membranous nephropathy can sometimes return once cyclosporine has been stopped, and patients require close monitoring while on the medication. Read full story | Large-scale investigation into genetic kidney disease sheds light on patient outcomes People with genetic forms of kidney disease have an increased risk of kidney failure, higher rates of kidney function decline, and lower chances of experiencing disease remission compared to people with non-genetic forms of kidney disease, according to a large-scale analysis. The results were published in the Journal of Clinical Investigation. | | Dr. Mark Elliott is a nephrologist with the University of British Columbia’s Division of Nephrology. He helped conduct the study while completing a fellowship at Columbia University in New York. There, he began specializing in genetic kidney disease, and says, “A lot of this research on genetic disorders stems from trying to give our patients the best understanding of what's happening with their kidneys and what their journey is going to look like going forward.” Read full story | Researcher profile: Mohammad Atiquzzaman | When it comes to kidney research, there is a seemingly endless number of questions that need to be answered. Mohammad Atiquzzaman is an epidemiologist with BC Renal who isn’t afraid of digging deep into data to find those answers – always with the goal of improving outcomes for people living with chronic kidney disease (CKD). His passion comes from personal experience. “I have a deep understanding of patients with CKD because my mother was a patient on dialysis for three years – so I have seen how CKD impacts patients’ lives,” he says, adding it was the “perfect match” when he came to work with BC Renal. Read full story | | Recent publications by BC kidney researchers: Did you know?
BC Renal has a research section on our website. Learn more: Our Research
See PHSA’s research section for additional information and resources: Research at PHSA | Who We Are:
Kidney care professionals and patient partners across BC are engaged in a broad range of local, provincial and international research projects, many in collaboration with BC's educational and research institutions. Their work is frequently published in peer-reviewed journals. Why We Do It:
● To facilitate/conduct quality research studies
● To support knowledge translation
● To foster local, national and international research collaborations
● To facilitate training and mentoring of young physicians and scientists | We acknowledge with gratitude that our BC Renal offices are located on the traditional, unceded territory of the Coast Salish, home of the Musqueam, Tsleil-Waututh and Squamish peoples, as well as the Métis chartered communities of the Lower Mainland | | | | |
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