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For patients born with a congenital genetic kidney disease, finding treatment is often difficult. The complex structure of the kidney tubules makes it difficult to conduct research to find solutions for this. Through close collaboration between researchers from the Radboudumc and the University of Twente (Technical Medical Centre) and with the help of a grant from the TURBO program, a treatment for these patients can get closer.
Some of the patients with genetic defects that affect kidney function suffer from potassium or magnesium deficiency. These people urinate out too much potassium and magnesium. This can lead to serious symptoms such as seizures, cardiac arrhythmias and muscle cramps. Unfortunately, there is no treatment for this group of patients yet and they rely on taking medication and supplements.
To find a solution, it is necessary to study the functioning of kidney tubules. In fact, researchers can use cells from patients' urine to “grow” kidney tubules in the lab. These tubules can be used as models to study how kidney tubules work concerning the absorption of potassium and magnesium.
At the Radboudumc, the researchers are already working with specially cultured kidney cells, called tubuloids, to study the function of the kidney tubules. However, these tubuloids are not developed enough for more detailed study. Especially the complex structure of the kidney tubules cannot be properly mimicked by the researchers. Therefore, better, more sophisticated models are urgently needed.
The researchers at the University of Twente have been developing polymeric fibers for a variety of bioartificial organs, including kidney. For the latter, they showed that the fibers can be used for culturing kidney cells and can be used as models mimicking the cell structure of kidney tubules. These models can be applied for studying the function of the kidney tubules including the transport of the kidney fluids.
Towards personalized treatment
Researchers Jeroen de Baaij, associate professor in kidney physiology, from the Radboudumc and Dimitrios Stamatialis Professor of Organ Bioengineering and Therapeutics (AOT), from the University of Twente (TechMed Centre) have found each other within the TURBO project. They combine the expertise of both institutes to jointly develop an advanced model system for further research into the functioning of the kidney tubules. This will allow for a more precise understanding of what causes potassium or magnesium deficiency and contributes to developing effective treatments for patients with congenital rare kidney diseases.
To take this further, the results of this research can be used to apply for a grant to establish a network of researchers and companies. The goal is to create a high-quality model to do more research on rare kidney diseases and testing new medicine. There is still a long way to go, but through this collaboration, important steps can be made.
Left: Dimitrios Stamatialis (University of Twente); Right: Jeroen de Baaij (Radboudumc)
HealthTech Nexus and the TURBO program
HealthTech Nexus is the strategic collaboration between Radboudumc and the University of Twente at the intersection of healthcare and medical technology. Together they focus on the 'unmet need' of healthcare: urgent needs for which no good solutions yet exist.
This strategic collaboration brings together knowledge and expertise within a broad network of stakeholders inside and outside the healthcare sector. To keep tomorrow's care patient-oriented, sustainable, affordable and accessible, collaboration is crucial. Other parties are explicitly invited to join.
De Baaij and Stamatialis’s project is one of four projects honored by the TURBO program (Twente University RadBoudumc Opportunities).
For more information about HealthTech Nexus and the TURBO program visit University of Twente (TechMed Centrum) and Radboudumc.
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