Our Center continues to be composed of four Research Projects, two Cores (one Animal Genotyping and Phenotyping Core focused on support for the intensive and advanced in vivo animal studies proposed, and one Administrative Core), all led by the same investigators as for the last submission, and three Pilot and Feasibility Projects. Dr. Agnes Fogo continues as the Principal Investigator of the Center. She also continues as Project Leader of Project 1, which maintains focus on mechanisms of tubulointerstitial fibrosis. Her exciting recent data has identified thymosin (34 as a key molecule linked to glomerulosclerosis. Additional new data now point to increased thymosin |34 in the fibrotic interstitium, with regulation of its activity and metabolism linked to the renin angiotensin system and possibly TGF-p. In Project 2, Dr. lekuni Ichikawa will continue to function as Project Leader. His state-of-the-art approaches to gene manipulation at a cell-specific level have led to a novel and exciting project that will focus on mechanisms of podocyte proliferation and differentiation after injury. Project 3 will continue to be led by Dr. Valentina Kon. She will continue study of the role of infiltrating and resident vascular cells in atherosclerosis, now focusing on the mechanisms of renal injuryinduced acceleration in atherosclerosis. Dr. Allison Eddy will still lead project 4. Her previous work on macrophage scavenger receptors and renal fibrosis has been extended to the current exciting projects, which will focus on how upregulation of scavenger receptors in the renal tubules per se contributes to tubulointerstitial inflammation and fibrosis.
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