Final Report Summary - RETEBESKO (Rechargeable Telemetry-Based Electrochemical Sensors: Kidney Oxygenation and health.)
Chronic Kidney Disease (CKD) is a growing global public health problem. Low kidney tissue oxygen and CKD are associated. However investigation of kidney oxygen regulation has not been possible because of an inability to measure kidney tissue oxygen for long periods in vivo. Within this project we have developed and validated a world first technology which allows wireless measurement of kidney tissue oxygen in unrestrained rats. These validation studies have recently been published in the prestigious American Journal of Physiology (Renal). We hypothesize that this cutting edge oxygen sensor can be used to test the involvement of fundamental controllers in long-term regulation of kidney tissue oxygenation. Indeed the developed and tested oxygen telemetry technology can track changes in oxygen levels in different locations in the kidney and allows continuous measurement of oxygen for at least 3 months. This could be used to study the temporal relation between low kidney tissue oxygen and the progression of CKD, which was already demonstrated in our most recent experiments.
Furthermore we believe that the fellow has used this Marie Curie fellowship very effectively and has been able to successfully transfer relevant research knowledge and skills from New Zealand to the EU in general and the Netherlands in particular. This is exemplified by;
• 3 publications in peer-reviewed journals and 1 manuscript in preparation;
• 9 invitations to speak at international meeting (of which 7 in Europe);
• 8 poster and 1 oral presentations at international conferences;
• 8 collaborations with international research laboratories;
• Establishing oxygen telemetry at UMC Utrecht and Maastricht University;
• Establishing renal nerve recording at UMC Utrecht;
• Supervising an internship of 6 months;
• Receiving 4 extra mural research grants (AMRF project, IRSES, RSNZ, BHF Fellowship) which has a total of just over €1 million;
• Teaching 2 sessions ‘Advanced Integrative Physiology’ (Medsci 734; 2012);
• Teaching a second semester of ‘Regulation & Integrations Physiology’ (GNK 1.7; 2012).
Furthermore we believe that the fellow has used this Marie Curie fellowship very effectively and has been able to successfully transfer relevant research knowledge and skills from New Zealand to the EU in general and the Netherlands in particular. This is exemplified by;
• 3 publications in peer-reviewed journals and 1 manuscript in preparation;
• 9 invitations to speak at international meeting (of which 7 in Europe);
• 8 poster and 1 oral presentations at international conferences;
• 8 collaborations with international research laboratories;
• Establishing oxygen telemetry at UMC Utrecht and Maastricht University;
• Establishing renal nerve recording at UMC Utrecht;
• Supervising an internship of 6 months;
• Receiving 4 extra mural research grants (AMRF project, IRSES, RSNZ, BHF Fellowship) which has a total of just over €1 million;
• Teaching 2 sessions ‘Advanced Integrative Physiology’ (Medsci 734; 2012);
• Teaching a second semester of ‘Regulation & Integrations Physiology’ (GNK 1.7; 2012).