28^th European Nephrology Conference

Renal Organoids: Modeling Kidney Diseases for Drug Discovery

Renal organoids have emerged as powerful tools in nephrology, offering a sophisticated platform to model kidney diseases and accelerate drug discovery efforts. These miniature, three-dimensional structures, derived from stem cells or patient-specific induced pluripotent stem cells (iPSCs), mimic the structural and functional complexity of the human kidney, providing a physiologically relevant model for studying renal development, physiology, and pathology. In drug discovery, renal organoids enable high-throughput screening of potential therapeutic compounds, offering a more predictive model compared to traditional two-dimensional cell cultures. Researchers can assess drug efficacy, toxicity, and mechanisms of action in a more physiologically relevant context, facilitating the identification of novel treatments for kidney diseases such as polycystic kidney disease, nephrotic syndrome, and diabetic nephropathy. Moreover, patient-derived organoids allow for personalized medicine approaches, wherein drugs can be tested on organoids generated from individuals with specific genetic mutations or disease phenotypes, enabling tailored treatment strategies. While challenges such as reproducibility and scalability persist, renal organoids hold immense promise in advancing our understanding of kidney diseases and expediting the development of novel therapies to improve patient outcomes in nephrology.