Grant: Operating Grant

Urine infections in children are one of the most common causes of admission to hospital in North America. Many of these children have a defect in the formation of the urinary tract known as vesico-ureteric reflux that predisposes them to urine infection and in some to kidney failure. In this grant, we will explore mouse models with vesico-ureteric reflux to discover the genetic changes that lead to this urinary tract malformation. We will also introduce urine infection in these mice to understand how infection can cause damage to the kidneys. Our work in the mouse will be applied to a clinical study in which we are collecting DNA from children with vesico-ureteric reflux. This work will have important implications for understanding which children with vesico-ureteric reflux are at risk for kidney failure and it will provide new insight into how urine infections cause kidney damage.