Genes and Gene Therapies in Chronic Renal Disease

A special issue of Genes (ISSN 2073-4425). This special issue belongs to the section "Molecular Genetics and Genomics".

Deadline for manuscript submissions: 20 March 2025 | Viewed by 145

Special Issue Editor


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Guest Editor
Division of Medical Genetics, Department of Specialized Medicine, McGill University Health Centre, Montreal, QC H4A 3J1, Canada
Interests: genomics; nephrogenetics; focal segmental glomerulosclerosis; congenital anomalies of the kidney and urinary tract; renal ciliopathies; zebrafish

Special Issue Information

Dear Colleagues,

Over the past 30 years, medical genetics has achieved several significant milestones, such as the Human Genome Project, which was facilitated by the development of advanced testing technologies, while the development of CRISPR-Cas9 and other genome editing technologies revolutionized the field of clinical genetics by allowing for precise modifications of DNA sequences. In a comparatively short time, these novel technologies profoundly impacted clinical medical practice by transforming the understanding, diagnosis, and treatment of human disease. By uncovering the underlying genetic etiology, clinicians can establish a more precise and early diagnosis and implement personalized treatment approaches in which therapies are tailored to an individual’s genetic profile, with the goal of improving efficacy and reducing side effects.

This Special Issue on Genes and Gene Therapies in Chronic Renal Disease highlights the transformative role of molecular and medical genetics in enhancing the understanding, diagnosis, and treatment of patients with chronic renal disease. Recent advancements have revolutionized our ability to treat chronic kidney disease by identifying the numerous molecular mechanisms that contribute to the development of polycystic kidney disease, glomerulosclerosis, tubulointerstitial kidney disease, and congenital anomalies of the kidney and urinary tract. Cutting-edge technologies, including CRISPR-Cas9 and other gene editing tools, offer promising personalized approaches for the treatment of hereditary causes of renal disease. Meanwhile, recent progress in the development of small-molecule, RNA-based therapies and vector development has the potential to broaden the scope of targeted therapies, providing hope for patients with diseases for which no treatment currently exists.

Finally, this Special Issue also addresses the ethical, clinical, and technical challenges and ramifications associated with the clinical implementation of gene diagnostic and personalized therapies. These include concerns over long-term safety, delivery methods, health care costs, and equitable access to novel treatments. With this collection of papers, we aim to raise awareness of the significant contributions that medical genetics has made to the diagnosis and care of patients with renal disease and to stimulate further research and collaboration in the ongoing quest to develop novel targeted therapies.

Dr. Thomas Kitzler
Guest Editor

Manuscript Submission Information

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Keywords

  • chronic renal disease
  • personalized medicine
  • exome and genome sequencing
  • nephrogenetics
  • genetic kidney disease
  • small molecules
  • mRNA therapies
  • gene editing
  • gene delivery

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Published Papers

This special issue is now open for submission.
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