Centre for Kidney Research
Heads of clinical and laboratory research, respectively
On this page:
Overview
The Centre for Kidney Research is working towards improving kidney health by providing insight into new treatments, methods of diagnosis, prevention and the enhancement of the quality of life of children with, or at risk of, kidney disease.
Its research aims to identify causes of disease, prevent and treat disease, and evaluate the evidence for current treatments. It has an ongoing commitment to providing the latest evidence to enhance services, improve care and promote health. It also aims to teach others about kidney research, and endeavours to make a significant contribution to local, national and international research communities, for example with its national network of kidney disease clinician-scientists.
Research achievements
All aspects of research are covered, from basic to clinical and population health. This includes laboratory studies which look at genetic kidney diseases, treatments for a variety of kidney diseases and studies of rejection and tolerance of kidney, heart and islet transplants.
The Centre has recently completed the world's largest study investigating the effect of long-term antibiotics on urinary tract infections in children, the PRIVENT trial. This multi-centred trial was conducted over 10 years, providing long-awaited evidence for practitioners that this treatment is effective.
New diagnostic methods for children with serious bacterial illness in the emergency room have been trialled in the FEVER Study, with outcomes currently being analysed.
The Centre is also involved in investigating bed-wetting and childhood daytime wetting. The NEAT Study is currently assessing the effectiveness of a new wireless bed-wetting alarm device developed by their researchers.
Targeting risk factors that lead to kidney disease in the general population and high risk groups is also an important part of the Centre's work. Aboriginal Australians have a nine times the incidence of end-stage renal disease than non-Aboriginals. The Antecedents of Renal Disease in Aboriginal Children (ARDAC) Study is concerned with addressing this issue.
In addition, the Centre has been involved with the Cochrane Renal Group, which is responsible for coordinating a register of all studies relating to kidney disease in adults and children. It has also produced the Caring for Australasians with Renal Impairment (CARI) Guidelines for nephrologists.
