Nephrotic syndrome is the most common glomerular kidney disease in children, a condition that damages the kidney filters that clean the blood. The disease primarily affects children aged two to six, causing protein loss in urine and leading to serious complications. Clinicians diagnose nephrotic syndrome based on a combination of symptoms and signs that show that the kidneys are not functioning as they should. Its cause is unknown and there’s no cure. Treatment options are available, but patients’ overall health is greatly impacted due to relapses — recurrences of the syndrome after periods of improvement.
“We want to unlock this mystery,” says Dr. Susan Samuel, a new investigator at BC Children’s Hospital Research Institute (BCCHR) and professor in the Department of Pediatrics at the University of British Columbia. She joined BCCHR in September 2024, after working for more than 15 years as a clinician-scientist at the Alberta Children’s Hospital Research Institute and the University of Calgary. “In my research, I’ve been investigating ways to improve the quality of life of these children, and that includes working towards precision health.”
