Ateneo - UPO

Basic knowledge of potential Omics application in different fields of nephrology, dialysis and kidney transplantation. Evaluation of Omics
technology for biomarker discovery studies in body fluids mainly focus on urine (liquid biopsy).

Slides presented during lessons on the main topics of Omics applications in different fields of nephrology, dialysis and
kidney transplantation. Integration with selected papers concerning the same topics.

The main aims of this module are based on the acquirement of knowledge on the state of the art and potential applications of Omics in different fields of Nephrology as follows:
-Biomarkers of glomerular diseases and progressive loss of kidney function;
-Genetic and rare diseases affecting the kidney;
-Acute Kidney Injury (AKI) including particular settings such as sepsis and progressive loss of kidney function;
-Chronic Kidney Disease (CKD)-associated organ dysfunction (cardiovascular, neurological and immunologic alterations);
-Kidney Transplantation: biomarkers of acute and chronic graft dysfunction focusing on Delayed Graft Function (DGF) due to ischemia-reperfusion injury
and immune-mediated graft rejection.

The student is expected to have a good knowledge of basic principles of cellular and molecular biology and some notions of anatomy, histology and physiology of the kidney.

Lectures and interaction during lessons. Didactic materials will be also available in the DIR website. Scientific papers presented during lessons and/or at
journal clubs will integrate standard lessons. Self-assessment of the knowledge during lessons will be another objective of the module. Some practical perspectives of OMICs application will be available in the clinical unit on request .

Other didactic material and selected papers/presentations on Omics technology application to study extracellular vesicles as biomarkers of
disease state in body fluids (liquid biopsy) will be discussed, using material derived from some ongoing clincial trials.

Written test based on 3 different statements that should be identified as "true or false" by the student with the addition of a short but exhaustive
comment on this choice. Nephrology final test is integrated with the other modules of the course.

Omics technology will be exploited in the following different nephrological settings with the aim of biomarker discovery through liquid biopsy and histological/molecular biology evaluation of injured tissues:
-Glomerulonephritis: primary glomerulonephritis (IgA nephropathy, membranous nephropathy) and secondary glomerulonephritis (ANCA-
associated vasculitis, lupus nephritis).
-Genetic and rare diseases: Omics application in glomerular diseases leading to nephrotic syndrome and tubulo-cystic diseases.
-Acute kidney Injury (AKI): mechanisms of endothelial and tubular epithelial injury during AKI, distant organ dysfunction and progression from AKI to Chronic Kidney Disease (CKD) due to the development of tissue fibrosis.
-Chronic Kidney Disease (CKD): role of Omics in CKD-associated organ dysfunction (cardiovascular, neurological and immunologic alterations).
-Kidney Transplantation: tissue-derived biomarkers of Delayed Graft Function (DGF) due to ischemia-reperfusion injury and of T cell-mediated or antibody-mediated kidney graft rejection. Polymorphisms involved in kidney graft rejection and in other transplant complications such as development of diabetes, cardiovascular diseases, infections, tumors.
A part of the module will be dedicated to Omics application to study Extracellular Vesicles (EVs) isolated from different body fluids, in particular urine:
-Isolation of EVs (ultracentrifugation); -Phenotypic characterization of EVs including size and concentration (Nanotrack analysis-Nanosight), proteomic, transcriptomic and microRNA analysis.

Knowledge and understanding of the main aspects of Omics application in different fields of nephrology, dialysis and kidney transplantation. Application of this knowledge to explore the state of the art as well as new potential biomarkers and therapeutic targets in specific clinical settings such as primary and secondary glomerulonephritis, rare and genetic kidney diseases, Acute Kidney Injury (AKI), Chronic Kidney Disease (CKD), kidney transplantation.
A specific section of the module will be dedicated to the study of extracellular vesicles (EVs) isolated from body fluids in the above- mentioned clinical settings and to the methodology useful for their phenotypic characterization.