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Renal Association Research Committee Meeting - May 2008

Renal Association Research Committee Meeting 15.05.08

Chair: Bruce Hendry

In attendance: Caroline Savage, Lorraine Harper, Moin Saleem, Lars Erwig, Alice Smith, Magdi Yaqoob.

The role of genetics research in renal disease in the UK was discussed. It was decided to establish a stakeholder group and working party to foster collaborative research under the auspices of the renal Association Research Committee. Bruce Hendry will contact potential stakeholders to include academics involved in single gene research, epidemiologists and clinical trialists. A workshop meeting will be held on 30th January 2009.

Moin Saleem discussed the rare diseases registry that is being set up. Initially the focus will be on paediatric diseases particularly nephritic syndrome. Recruitment of cases will be via education and awareness and hopefully will include a gene and tissue bank.

It was decided to establish a database of renal research in the UK that will be accessible to the “public” via the Renal Association website. The aim will be to showcase renal research in the Uk and to improve communication and collaboration. The information contained will be relatively limited; name, current projects, collaborators, institution and email address, Alice Smith will co-ordinate this.

There was discussion about whether there is a need for more information about the commercialisation of research ideas and it was proposed that a session could be held at the next Renal Association meeting. This will probably involve speakers from outside the Renal Association.

There was discussion about the problems of encouraging SpR’s to go into research and undertake PhD’s . The possibility of a session at a Renal Association meeting aimed at SpRs was raised. It was not clear how useful this would be and so I have agreed to find out through the SpR club what the feeling of SpR’s about this is.


Dr Matthew Morgan
Clinical Lecturer Renal Medicine
University of Birmingham