Polycystic Kidney Disease (PKD) is one of the most common life-threatening genetic diseases. For people living with PKD, cysts grow throughout the kidneys and eventually cause the kidneys to fail. Dialysis and transplantation are the only treatment options for kidney failure. There is no cure for PKD.

     “The PKD Foundation is grateful to generous donors who strengthen our ability to fund this research at the Stowers Institute as part of the $4 million in grants and fellowships we have awarded this year. The Stowers is synonymous with cutting-edge biomedical research in Kansas City and around the world. For the first time since the Stowers Institute was established in Kansas City over seven years ago, two local champions in the search for treatments and cures will partner with a common goal,” said PKD Foundation President and CEO Dan Larson. “The scientific progress generated by research such as this project at the Stowers Institute provides real help and hope for the 12.5 million people worldwide who suffer from this devastating disease. There is no cure for polycystic kidney disease, but every new PKD research project brings us one step closer to a PKD treatment and cure,” he added.

     Xiaogang Li will study the role of a number of enzymes, called histone deacetylases (HDACs). HDACs play a role in cell cycle regulation and in the formation and breakdown of cilia — tail-like projections that extend outwards from cells in the renal tubule. Mutations affecting the function of cilia cause PKD. New information about the function of HDACs in cells may allow for the identification of new treatment targets in PKD.

     “Xiaogang Li is a very dedicated scientist who has made important contributions to the research on Autosomal Dominant Polycystic Kidney Disease,” said Rong Li, Ph.D., Stowers Institute Investigator. “This grant will enable him to continue his original work to understand the disease mechanism and to identify new possibilities for disease treatment.”

     The not-for-profit PKD Foundation leads the fight against PKD through research funding, patient education and support. For more information, call 1-800-PKD-CURE. A complete list of the funded projects for 2008 is available on-line at www.pkdcure.org.

About the Stowers Institute
     Housed in a 600,000 square-foot state-of-the-art facility on a 10-acre campus in the heart of Kansas City, Missouri, the Stowers Institute for Medical Research conducts basic research on fundamental processes of cellular life. Through its commitment to collaborative research and the use of cutting-edge technology, the Institute seeks more effective means of preventing and curing disease. The Institute was founded by Jim and Virginia Stowers, two cancer survivors who have created combined endowments of $2 billion in support of basic research of the highest quality.