Nephrology and Hypertension

African Americans have long been known to be at increased risk of kidney disease due to a dangerous genetic mutation that creates a hole in the kidney cells, but Vanderbilt researchers have now discovered a protective genetic mutation that covers the hole to eliminate the risk.

Vanderbilt scientists, including Nephrology and Hypertension Dr. Roy Zent, have received a $1.2 million award from the W. M. Keck Foundation for their groundbreaking project, “Genetic Intolerance Patterns as a Treasure Map to Genes that Define Us as Human.”

Diets with a high sodium-to-potassium ratio are linked to poor cardiovascular outcomes. Attention has mostly focused on high sodium, but low potassium is also a culprit in cardiovascular disease. Andrew Terker, MD, PhD, and colleagues have now discovered that low dietary potassium also causes direct kidney injury.

A chemical biology research lab fit for an academic medical center is being installed at Wynne High School (WHS) in Wynne, Arkansas, as part of a pilot project of Aspirnaut STEM pipeline at Vanderbilt University Medical Center.

Before menopause, women have decreased risk of developing cardiovascular diseases, such as hypertension, compared to men. This sex-specific protection has been largely attributed to estrogens, although the mechanisms remain a topic of investigation.