Twenty-eight years ago, almost all children in Singapore with end-stage kidney disease did not survive their condition. Fortunately, that situation is significantly improved today but it remains far from satisfactory. The number of children seeking treatment for kidney disease in Singapore has more than doubled in the last decade.
Research in paediatric kidney disease at NUS Medicine helps us identify the optimal treatment for these children. For example, in our latest work on a serious form of nephrotic syndrome, has allowed us to identify a specific immune abnormality in children who can respond to a strong but potentially toxic drug. With this discovery, we can identify patients who can respond to the drug, even before the drugs are administered. Our genetic tests can help guide doctors select treatment using the newest laboratory methods, and collaborating with more than 15 centres in Asia, we can also detect defects in genes swiftly and accurately in children with nephrotic syndrome. Our genetic studies will have the remarkable benefit of helping babies in families genetically predisposed to kidney disease to be born free of the disease!
We aim to expand our research efforts to identify new pathways to fight kidney disease in children. Your funding will go towards vital resources to expand our research work as we expand our team of research scientists, post-doctoral fellows, research assistants and laboratory technicians.
