We were lucky this year in the yearly national funding rounds organised by the French national research organisation (ANR). Julie Klein obtained one young researchers grant (JCJC) for her studies on cardiovascular complications in chronic kidney disease. The other grant was obtained in collaboration with our colleagues from Montpellier from RD-Néphrologie (https://www.rd-n.org/) for testing to anti-fibrotic drugs in chronic kidney disease in a wide variety of models.

We missed the RF-lab BBQ/Grill in 2020 and we missed the RF-lab Christmas party 2020! Luckily there was a small window for the 2021 RF-lab BBQ/Grill 2021 which was held on July 1rst. A few hours of social time away from the lab. Some ex-RF-lab members joined the fun: Adeline and Ophélie where there as well. Here some pictures…dinner is served !!

Our assistant professor Colette Denis “Dr Pipi” explains how the kidney works. This Youtube video and live broadcast on Tuesday June 29, 2021, in the context of the inScience programme organised by Inserm, aims to explain to the younger public the “ins-and-outs” of the kidney. Yet another RF-lab production! Follow-us on twitter @Labrenal   [embedyt] https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2ZM4aQSWloM[/embedyt]

Prof Stanislas Faguer from our team proposed to one of his patients with a very rare kidney disease a novel treatment aiming to compensate the very low levels of a protein called  high density lipoprotein (HDL) in this individual. Treatment with the compound CER-001 stopped further renal function decline and normalised blurred vision. For details see: Annals of Internal Medicine: https://www.acpjournals.org/doi/10.7326/L20-1300?url_ver=Z39.88-2003&rfr_id=ori:rid:crossref.org&rfr_dat=cr_pub%20%200pubmed La Dépeche: https://www.ladepeche.fr/2021/03/16/a-toulouse-une-molecule-oubliee-permet-de-traiter-une-maladie-rare-du-rein-9430980.php          

Despite the current pandemic situation were are very grateful to have obtained funding from a number of societies -AIRG- and -ORKID- and the -Occitanie region-. We really appreciate this. This supports helps us to move forward our translational research in the field of kidney diseases.

On Tuesday December 15, 2020 Camille Fedou defended her thesis. Due to the Covid-19 pandemic the jury joined by teleconference but since the day was very well prepared all went without major issues and led to a lively thesis discussion. We would like to thank again the external reviewers: Drs Claire Rigothier, Juliette Hadchouel and Fabiola Terzi. Congratulations Camille !!

The Toulouse region has decided to build a cable car (in the air) to connect the Paul Sabatier University – The CHU Rangueil Hospital – The Oncopole (Cancer institute). See here for details: https://tisseo-collectivites.fr/projets/teleo We have first class seats to follow the construction of one of the 4 pillars.  

The RF-lab is back, in situ, in the lab. Masks in the corridors and labs and less persons/office, a small price to pay. Good to be back !

Due the the progression of the coronavirus in France in the middle of March 2020, the RF-lab, naturally, also had to close its doors to participate to the effort of reducing the impact of the virus.   Day-2: Sunday March 15 – the first signs Mail from Inserm’s director: “We will be closing the labs tomorrow”. A WhatsApp group of the RF-lab was generated to keep contact.   Day-1: Monday March 16 – the day before Didi and Joost were allowed to come to the lab to prepare the lockdown and bring the different “tools”  (computers and stuff) to the home of the lab members.Read More →

Congratulations Ana for winning the best poster prize during the last annual CaReSyAn meeting and Cardiorenal Winter School. Ana’s reaction to winning the prize “Last week I had the opportunity to present at the CaReSyAn annual meeting and Cardiorenal Winter School of the graduate schools SFB TRR219 IRTG & Marie-Curie ITNs CaReSyAn and INTRICARE in Frankfurt. It was a great experience and I was luckily awarded with the prize for best scientific poster presentation, which I would like to share with my supervisors Julie Klein and Joost Schanstra for all their support. But most importantly, we had the chance to listen to very interesting topics aboutRead More →