Neil Mandel, Ph.D., Associate Dean of Research, Zablocki VA medical Center Professor, Medicine, Nephrology
Education: University of Southern California, University of Pennsylvania, Ph.D. Ph.D.,University of Pennsylvania, Post Doc
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Link to the V.A. NIH BIOSKETCH
Our laboratory is interested in the pathophysiology and genetics of renal stone disease. Current projects include: 1) Defining the demographics of stone disease within the VA patient population. The influence of other factors such as hypertension are also incorporated in the data analysis, establishing the basis for a defined human study on the genetic predisposition for renal stone disease, 2) Studies on the mechanisms of stone formation, focusing on renal injury as a necessary event for the retention of crystals that precede the formation of stones, 3) Studies on the role of hypertension in the susceptibility to develop stone disease. We are using a new model to dissect the genetic linkage between stone disease and hypertension, 4) the development of a new pig model that develops calcium oxalate crystalluria and stone disease following oral oxalate ingestion. This model reproduces the pattern of stone disease observed in patients that have recurrent episodes of calcium oxalate crystalluria and occasional calcium oxalate papillary plague and stones.