SysKid, a large-scale integrating European research project, aims at understanding chronic kidney disease in the context of diabetes and hypertension. SysKid which stands for Systems Biology towards Novel Chronic Kidney Disease Diagnosis and Treatment will pave the way for progress in prevention, new diagnostic strategies and treatment options for declining kidney function, which affects millions of patients suffering from diabetes and hypertension. The project is driven by a European Union grant of EUR 11,8 million from Framework Programme 7 (FP 7) and a total project volume of close to EUR 16 million. SysKid’s first general assembly will be held March 9-11, 2010 at the Medical University of Vienna and the project will be introduced at the Medical University of Innsbruck on March 12, 2010.
Chronic kidney disease (CKD) caused primarily by diabetes and hypertension has a profound impact on the lives of a large number of patients in Europe. About 50 million people ten percent of Europe’s general population are affected. Most patients are in an early phase of CKD. If the disease is diagnosed in this stage, therapeutic measures provide a positive impact and can prevent progression and thus dialysis and kidney transplantation.
In parallel to a decline in kidney function cardiovascular complications and bone metabolism disorders are triggered. The prevalence of diabetes, a major risk factor for CKD, has been increasing in the last years approximately seven percent of the general population is affected. As a consequence CKD and cardiovascular complications as well as mortality will increase, too. This is why early diagnosis and prevention are of utmost importance.
Following a state-of-the-art Systems Biology approach, SysKid will establish a comprehensive picture of the consequences of diabetes and hypertension on kidney function, says Dr. Bernd Mayer, managing partner of the R&D company emergentec biodevelopment GmbH, Vienna, who is coordinating the project. We will focus on the early stage of chronic kidney disease and aim at identifying better strategies for prevention as well as novel diagnosis and therapy options to improve patients’ quality of life.
SysKid integrates a balanced mix of clinicians, statisticians, epidemiologists, molecular researchers and bioinformaticians from universities, small- and medium-sized enterprises as well as industry partners. This interdisciplinary approach aims at understanding the pathophysiology of chronic kidney disease, which in turn will provide tools both for identifying persons at risk as well as for the development of novel therapy approaches.
The SysKid consortium involves 25 research groups from 15 countries: Austria, Belgium, Denmark, France, Great Britain, Germany, Hungary, Italy, Israel, Ireland, Poland, Spain, Switzerland, The Netherlands and the United States. The research project is to last for five years.