Multiple Projects in Acute Kidney Injury
Project 1: Composition of Waxy and Muddy Brown Urinary Casts during Acute Kidney Injury
Field: Kidney disease
Location: Ochsner Clinical School
Type of student: Both types will be considered (i.e. you are flexible with your project/s),
Type of work: Chart reviews, Wet lab work
Brief synopsis:
The hypothesis is that identification of components of waxy and muddy brown granular casts isolated from urines from patients with AKI could result in development of a. ELISA-based diagnostic test for acute tubular necrosis.
Role of student: urine collection, processing of urine specimen, centrifuge, slide handling, evaporation, fixation, microscopy, imaging, storage. MALDI TOF MS. Role to communciate with outside collaborator who will perform mass spectometry analysis
Objective: 1-2 abstract submissions to reginal and national meeings (Kidney Week, SSCI), 1st author. Co-authorship in manuscript, 1st or 2nd autorship based on contribution.
Prerequisite skills: Microsoft Word and Excel
Project 2: Diagnostic and Prognostic Value of Urinary Sediment Microscopy in acute kidney injury and cirrhosis
Field: Kidney disease
Location: Ochsner Clinical School
Type of student: Both types will be considered (i.e. you are flexible with your project/s)
Type of work: Chart reviews, Clinical work, Literature review, Wet lab work
Brief synopsis:
The hypothesis is that a urine score based on presence and number of granular casts and renal epithelial cell casts could be utilized in patients with AKI and cirrhosis to predict therapeutic response to vasoconstrictors in hepatorenal syndrome as well as need for dialysis
Role of student researcher: data collection, urine collection, processing and microscopic examination, image capture and storage, Excel file handling
Objective: submission of abstract as 1st author to a regional/national meeting. Co-authorship in a future manuscript(s), possibly 1st or 2nd authorship.
Prerequisite skills: Microsoft Word and Excel
Project 3: Targeting Renal Perfusion in Hepatorenal Acute Kidney Injury (HR-AKI)
Field: Kidney disease
Location: Ochsner Clinical School
Type of student: Both types will be considered (i.e. you are flexible with your project/s)
Type of work: Chart reviews, Secondary data analysis, Statistical analysis
Brief synopsis:
A prospective data collection at OMC (and other collaborative institutions) to test the hypothesis that an increase in MAP ≥ 15 mmHg or renal perfusion pressure ≥10 mmHg is associated with 35% improvement in rate of recovery of HR-AKI
Role of student researcher: data collection and data file organization, communication with statistician, establishment of hospital treatment protocol
Objective: submission of abstract as 1st author to a regional/national meeting. Co-authorship in a future manuscript(s).
Project 4: Diagnostic and Prognostic Value of Arterial Spin Labeling MRI Kidney Perfusion in Hepatorenal Acute Kidney Injury
Field: Kidney Disease
Location: Ochsner Clinical School
Type of student: Both types will be considered (i.e. you are flexible with your project/s)
Type of work: Chart reviews, Clinical work
Brief synopsis:
The hypothesis is that ASL MRI can distinguish hepatorenal syndrom from ischemic ATN and predict response to vasoconstrictor therapy.
Role of student researcher: patient identification, data collection, informed consent, image processing, communications with collaborators
Objective: submission of abstract as 1st author to a regional/national meeting. Co-authorship in a future manuscript(s).
