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Renal Research Institute

Michael S. Goligorski, M.D., Ph.D.
Professor of Medicine
Alvin I. Goodman Chair in Nephrology
Director of the Renal Research Institute
New York Medical College

The Westchester Artificial Kidney Foundation and New York Medical College established the Renal Research Institute in 2002. Its objective is to characterize the mechanisms of progression of kidney disease with the focus on endothelial dysfunction as a harbinger of atherosclerotic, diabetic and hypertensive vascular damage.

Studies into premature senescence of endothelial cells have resulted in discovery of lysosomal dysfunction and aberrations of mitochondrial metabolism. Therapeutic options to curtail these abnormalities are being investigated by the team of postdoctoral fellows, residents, graduate students and high-school students.

The failure of kidney regeneration is attributable to incompetence of endothelial progenitor cells; the mechanisms of incompetence are being studied, and pharmacological approaches have been discovered that will restore their competence and treat experimental chronic kidney disease. For acute kidney injury, general mechanisms have been discovered relating to SOS signaling, resulting in mobilization of intrinsic stem cells for organ repair. In addition, clinical translational studies are focused on identifying dialysis patients at risk for cardiovascular complications, and searching for diagnostic biomarkers of chronic allograft nephropathy in kidney transplant recipients to assist in making informed therapeutic decisions.

Faculty

Michael S. Goligorsky, M.D., Ph.D., Director of the Renal Research Institute
Mathew Plotkin, M.D.
Jun Chen, M.D., Ph.D.
Brian B. Ratliff, Ph.D.