Examination of the role of exosomal miRNA in cell:cell communication in the kidney

This proposal aims to investigate important molecules called microRNAs (miRNAs) that regulate gene expression and are involved in kidney homeostasis. These molecules have altered expression in kidney disease. The targets of these miRNAs or the miRNAs themselves may represent novel treatment of chronic renal disease. This project seeks to understand how these molecules when contained in extra-cellular vesicles contribute to cell to cell communication within the kidney and therefore more fully understand their role in renal disease.