Michael Hutchens, MD - Awarded KO8 Grant
Dr. Hutchens received a KO8 to study Sex Differences in Renal Injury after Cardiac Arrest: Mechanisms of Estrogen Action.
Acute kidney injury (AKI) is an untreatable, frequently lethal malady which is common in the critically ill. AKI is more common and more severe in men than women, suggesting sex represents an opportunity for intervention. Investigation of AKI has recently highlighted endothelial cells. Estrogen is an endothelial protectant. This proposal tests the hypothesis that females are protected from AKI in part because estrogen protects renal endothelium, preserving overall renal function. The proposed work aims to evaluate mechanisms of estrogen's protective action with the hope of offering possibilities for treatment.
Funding for this research is a mentored career award (K08) through the National Institutes of Health (NIH) and the National Institute of Diabetes and Digestive and Kidney Diseases (NIDDK).
