AKI Lab - Zhou
Dr. Zhou’s laboratory has focused on how to alleviate lower limb ischemia/reperfusion- and sepsis-induced acute kidney injury (AKI), using cell culture and mice as models. Currently, there is no specific treatment for AKI. As a result, AKI significantly increases morbidity and mortality of patients and financial burden to the society. Tourniquet is the first aid to control limb hemorrhage in military operations and civilian settings. However, prolonged application of tourniquets can induce lower ischemia/reperfusion injury, leading to “sterile” systemic inflammation and multi-organ injury, including AKI, and multi-organ failure. Trauma can lead to sepsis, non-sterile systemic inflammation, resulting in acute kidney and other organ injuries. A majority of forms of AKI shares microcirculation dysregulation and hypoxia in the kidney. In light of this, Dr. Zhou's laboratory is studying whether reducing oxygen demand such as by inhibiting sodium absorption in the kidney can ameliorate tourniquet- and sepsis-induced AKI.