Jordan A. Kreidberg

Jordan Kreidberg's principal research goal is to understand the genetic mechanisms of organogenesis, with a focus on the urogenital system. More specifically, his lab seeks to:

Understand the inductive mechanisms of early organ development.

Define regulatory interactions that establish and maintain normal glomerular function and prevent chronic renal failure.

Define the stem cell compartment of the developing kidney, and develop approaches for propagating the stem cell compartment.

If kidney stem cells can be defined and propagated, they may ultimately be used to regenerate new kidney tissue in individuals with chronic renal failure. Determining the regulatory interactions within the glomerulus could also yield treatments to reverse glomerulardamage and prevent situations that lead to nephrotic syndrome and chronic renal failure.

The researchers have recently demonstrated a novel inductive interaction between angioblasts--the cells that give rise to blood vessels--and mesenchymal precursorcells--which differentiate into connective tissue--that is required for early kidney development. They are also determining how the integrin family of adhesion receptors participate in organogenesis and are examining how the Wt1 transcription factor and the alpha3 beta1 integrin receptor regulate glomerular development and maintain normal glomerular function.