Khai Gene Leong's PhD mid-candidature review: Cyclophilins in renal disease. 24 April

All staff and students are invited to Khai Gene Leong's PhD mid-candidature review.

24 April, 9-11am, Conference Room, Department of Nephrology, Monash Medical Centre

Title: Cyclophilins in renal disease

Synopsis:  Inflammation and apoptosis are important underlying causes of renal injury/

dysfunction, and progressive renal fibrosis leading to chronic kidney disease.

However, despite the large burden of acute kidney injury (AKI) and chronic kidney

disease (CKD), there is no current successful clinical therapeutics that halts the

process of AKI, and progression of AKI to CKD. Cyclophilins are ubiquitously

expressed proteins that are physiologically involved in protein folding. Of these,

Cyclophilin A (CypA) has a key role in regulating the inflammatory process, and

Cyclophlin D (CypD) is an essential component of the mitochondrial permeability

membrane pore opening leading to cell death. I will explore the roles of CypA and

CypD in contributing to renal disease to aid in future development of therapeutics

that may lessen the incidence and prevalence of AKI and CKD.

Supervisors: A/Prof David Nikolic-Paterson; A/Prof John Kanellis; Dr. Frank Ma

Panel Chair: Prof Michael Hickey

Independent asssessors: Prof Peter Kerr; Dr. Daniel Bird