Dr. Samit Ghosh has received a new R01 from NIDDK titled “Renal endothelium and the development of chronic kidney disease in sickle cell disorders”. With this funding Dr. Ghosh will study Progressive chronic kidney disease (CKD) associated with intravascular hemolysis in sickle cell disease (SCD). His project seeks to determine a role for circulating heme, the hemolytic byproduct, in downregulating endothelial protein C receptor (EPCR) through induction of endothelial P-selectin and neutrophilic proteinase 3 (PR3), thus resulting in renal microvascular endothelial damage and CKD development. The project will assess whether specific genetic variants and a soluble form of EPCR are associated with the risk of CKD and identify specific intermediate therapeutic targets to impede CKD pathogenesis in SCD.