PKD Partnership announces £812,000 in research and training awards

Last summer we told you about an exciting milestone, the launch of the PKD Partnership, our collaboration with Kidney Research UK to speed up progress in PKD research. The partnership invited scientists and clinicians across the UK to apply for grants to tackle the biggest challenges in PKD. We are excited to share what happened next.

The PKD Partnership has awarded £812,000 to five research teams across the UK. This funding will support research that we hope will one day lead to better treatments and care for people with PKD. In doing so, it will bring us closer to a future where dialysis and transplantation are rarely needed.

The first awards have now been made, with 5 projects being selected from 12 applications. The funded projects cover a wide range of areas. They include work on repurposing existing drugs, exploring new treatment approaches for children, understanding factors that influence disease progression, using genetics to improve diagnosis and personalise care, and investigating how parental diet may influence the severity of PKD. The awards also support the continued development of PKD research expertise through a clinical research fellowship and a PhD studentship.

It is encouraging to see strong connections between these projects and what matters most to people with PKD. In a consultation we ran in collaboration with the James Lind Alliance, people living with PKD, family members and healthcare professionals identified the need for new treatments that slow or prevent ADPKD progression, research to help clinicians identify who would benefit from early treatment and personalise their care, and evidence on how diet and other lifestyle factors affect people with PKD. Several of the projects funded in this round address these priorities directly.

Alison Taylor, our CEO, said:

"We are thrilled to let you know the results of the PKD Partnership grant round.  Applications were invited across all grant types, including research projects, start-up grants and opportunities for those looking to take the next step in their kidney research career. These awards represent the continued commitment we share to support the science that will one day transform the lives of people living with PKD and their families. Supporting a future where dialysis and transplantation are no longer an inevitable outcome for many people living with PKD.”

Dr Samantha Lawes Director of Research Development and Partnerships at Kidney Research UK said:

“I'm delighted that we are supporting these five outstanding research awards through our partnership with the PKD Charity. We share a commitment to accelerating progress for people affected by polycystic kidney disease, and these projects represent an important investment in both research excellence and future research leadership. By bringing together researchers, clinicians, patients and charities around a shared ambition to improve outcomes for people living with PKD, we can create the knowledge, expertise and collaborations needed to drive meaningful progress.”

We will be sharing more about each of these projects in the coming months, including what the research involves, why it matters and what it could mean for people living with PKD.