• Research Strategy
• Research Portfolio

• Platforms
• Programs
• Internal Research Groups

• Adult Lung Stem Cell Laboratory
• Renal Regeneration Laboratory
• Developmental Biology Laboratory
• Human Embryonic Stem Cell Technology
• Niche Laboratory
• Stem Cell Expansion Laboratory
• Tissue Repair

• External Research Groups
• Core Services

• Research Funding

• Development
• Donations to Science

Renal Regeneration Laboratory

Group Leader
Sharon D Ricardo PhD
Senior Scientist

Contact Details
Email: sharon.ricardo@stemcellcentre.edu.au

To find out more about Sharon D Ricardo PhD, click here.

Lab Members

Samy Sakkal - Research Assistant
Maliha Alikhan – PhD Student
Elizabeth Verghese – PhD Student
Christina Jones - PhD Student
Timothy Williams - PhD Student
Adrian D'Arcy - Masters Student
Andrea Wise – Honours Student

Research Focus

The Renal Regeneration Laboratory is focused on the development of new adult stem cell-based therapies that may offer alternatives for patients undergoing kidney transplantation and long-term dialysis.

Overview

Kidney disease is a widespread and debilitating health issue facing millions of people worldwide. In particular, progression to end-stage renal disease is now a critical health issue. The incidence of kidney disease is rising rapidly at a rate of around 6-8% per year worldwide, due particularly to the alarming increase in Type II diabetes.

Currently, the only treatment available for patients with end-stage renal disease is long-term dialysis or kidney transplantation. Given the poor quality of life associated with dialysis, the huge healthcare costs and the ever increasing organ transplant waiting lists, it makes the development of new treatments for kidney disease of the utmost importance.

Potential therapies for patients with renal disease may involve the administration of stem/progenitor cells or regenerative growth factors to slow the development of kidney disease and/or regenerate damaged kidney tissue. Our research in the Renal Regeneration Laboratory is focused on the cellular and molecular regulation of endogenous kidney repair and the sub-populations of bone marrow-derived cells that are important in this process. There is increasing evidence that bone marrow-derived myelomonocytic cells can play a beneficial proliferative, angiogenic, and anti-fibrotic role that promotes cellular regeneration and tissue remodelling. Studies are in progress to define the responsive cell subpopulation/s and trophic factors that can promote kidney cell regeneration in an acute inflammatory setting, but also the fibrotic setting common to many chronic renal diseases.

Funding

Australian Stem Cell Centre, Kidney Health Australia, NMHRC

Selected Publications

(2005-present)
Mittaz L, Ricardo S.D, Martinez G, Kola I, Kelly DJ, Little MH, Hertzog PJ, Pritchard MA. Neonatal calyceal dilation and renal fibrosis resulting from loss of Adamts-1 in the kidney is due to a developmental dysgenesis and not obstruction. Nephrol Dial Transplantation 20: 419-423, 2005.

Cochrane AL, Kett MM, Samuel CS, Campanale NV, Anderson WP, Hume DA, Little MH, Bertram JF, and Ricardo S.D. Renal structural and functional repair in a mouse model of reversal of ureteral obstruction. J Am Soc Nephrol 16(12):3623-30, 2005.

Ricardo S.D, and Deane J. Review: Stem Cells in Renal Repair and Remodeling. Nephrology 10(2): 276-282, 2005.

Kramer AB, Ricardo S.D, Kelly DJ, Waanders F, van Goor H, Navis G. Modulation of osteopontin in proteinuria-induced renal interstitial fibrosis. J Pathol 207:483-492, 2005.

Guo M, Ricardo S.D, Deane JA, Shi M, Cullen-McEwen L, Bertram JF. A stereological study of the renal glomerular vasculature in the db/db mouse model of diabetic nephropathy. J Anatomy 207:813-821, 2005.

Gillard A, Scarff k, Loveland K, Ricardo S.D and Bird PI. Modulation and redistribution of Proteinase Inhibitor 8 (Serpinb8) expression during kidney regeneration. Am J Nephrol 26:34-42, 2006.

Challen GA, Bertoncello I, Deane JA, Ricardo S.D, Little MH. The kidneys side population reveals multi-lineage potential and renal functional capacity but also cellular heterogeneity. J Am Soc Nephrol 17(7):1896-912, 2006.

Li J, Deane JA, Campanale NV, Bertram JF, Ricardo S.D. Blockade of p38 MAPK and TGF-1/Smad Signaling Pathways Rescues Bone Marrow-derived Peritubular Capillary Endothelial Cells in Adriamycin-induced Nephrosis. J Am Soc Nephrol 17(10):2799-2811, 2006.

Li J, Campanale NV, Bertram JF, Ricardo S.D. p38 MAPK and TGF-/Smad Signaling Pathways co-ordinate Renal Fibrosis in Adriamycin-induced Nephrosis. Am J Pathol 169(5):1527-1540, 2006.

Li J, Deane JA, Campanale NV, Bertram JF, and Ricardo S.D. Modulation of the contribution of bone marrow-derived cells to renal repair and the development of interstitial fibrosis. Stem Cells 25(3):697-706, 2007.

Rae F, Woods K, Sasmono T, Campanale N, Taylor D, Ovchinnikov D, Grimmond SM, Hume DA, Ricardo S.D, and Little MH. Characterisation and trophic functions of murine embryonic macrophages based upon the use of a CSF-IR-EGFP transgenic reporter. Dev Biol 308(1):232-246, 2007.

Deane JA and Ricardo S.D. Review: Polycystic Kidney Disease and the Renal Cilium. Nephrology 12:559-64, 2007.

Verghese E, Weidenfeld R, Bertram JF, Ricardo S.D, Deane JA. Renal cilia display length alterations following tubular injury and are present early in epithelial repair. Nephrol Dialysis and Transplantation 23(3):834-41, 2008.

Wang L, Weidenfeld R, Verghese L, Ricardo S.D. and Deane JA. Alterations in renal cilium length during transient complete ureteral obstruction in the mouse. Journal of Anatomy (In Press) 2008.

Ricardo S.D., H van Goor. Eddy A.A. Invited Review: Beyond the Dark Side of the Renal Macrophage. J Clin Invest (In Press), 2008