The Institute of Systems, Molecular and Integrative Biology's Professor Sir Munir Pirmohamed recently attended the Royal Liverpool University Hospital to present at the Cheshire & Mersey nephrology & transplant academic showcase.
The showcase, chaired by Dr Louise Oni (Senior Lecturer in Paediatric Nephrology, Dept Women’s and Children’s Health) and Dr Anirudh Rao (Consultant Nephrologist & Honorary Senior Lecturer, Department of Cardiovascular and Metabolic Medicine), consisted of trainee presentations spanning the entire translational pathway, from basic science to epidemiological and qualitative data in a true bench to bedside manner.
Patients of all ages were represented via a range of studies from recruitment of young children in quality improvement projects, to improving the care of the growing multi-morbid elderly population with kidney disease.
Professor Sir Munir Pirmohamed attended the event as a guest speaker and delivered an inspirational talk on his career journey that began in Liverpool and has gone far beyond. He also updated everyone on the RENAL-HF study to improve the kidney function monitoring in primary care for people living with heart failure, highlighting the strong dynamics between cardiac and kidney.
The meeting was supported by a presentation prize donated by the Messahel family in memory of Dr Farouk Messahel, a former consultant anaesthetist who lived a life with kidney failure and enjoyed many more years with a kidney transplant. Dr Messahel sadly died in 2022 and his family donated a prize in his legacy. The first winner of the Dr. Farouk Messahel prize was Julien Marro - 4th year medical student at the University of Liverpool -for his presentation titled ‘Activation of the alternative and lectin complement pathways in children with IgA vasculitis nephritis’.
Second winner of the prize was Dr. Austin Chukwu - Clinical research fellow undertaking a PhD at Salford Renal unit and Mersey Nephrology specialist trainee doctor - for his presentation titled ‘Comparing the outcomes of Basiliximab and Alemtuzumab induction in kidney allograft recipients with matched immunological risk profiles, a retrospective matched cohort study (COMBAT study)’.
The meeting was sponsored through a generous educational grant from Astra Zenaca. The group meet every 6-12 months to share updates on the research activity in the region with the united goal to improve the clinical outcomes for kidney patients of all ages. If anyone would like to attend future events, please email Louise (louise.oni@liverpool.ac.uk) or Ani (anirudh.rao@liverpoolft.nhs.uk).