Biological Determinants of Peritoneal Dialysis (Bio-PD)
Given the importance of peritoneal membrane function to successful peritoneal dialysis (PD), there is a critical need to better understand the biology of peritoneal membrane function and how it is influenced by genetic variation. Thus, the central hypothesis of this proposal is that common genetic variants explain the inter-individual variability in peritoneal membrane function in patients undergoing PD. These phenotypes are quantitative traits, readily measurable with high precision, and clinically relevant.
Identification of common genetic variants associated with peritoneal membrane function and injury has the potential to lead to the development of biomarkers for early detection of peritoneal membrane injury, and/or identify therapeutic targets to preserve peritoneal membrane function in the future.