Scott Van Why, M.D., Associate Professor, Pediatrics (Nephrology)
Education and training: University of Iowa College of Medicine, Iowa City, 1986University of Wisconsin Hospitals and Clinics, Madison, Residency. Yale University, New Haven, Fellowship
Click here to learn more about Dr. Van Why Link to Pediatrics
Acute renal failure remains a major medical problem that contributes to high patient morbidity and associated mortality of greater than 50%. My laboratory is exploring the genetic basis for resistance or susceptibility to develop renal failure after ischemic injury to the kidney. Finding the genes that provide resistance to an ischemic injury could lead to new therapies to prevent renal failure. We are also studying some of the mechanisms that the kidney uses to recover from renal failure. With this knowledge we should be better able to design targeted treatment to speed endogenous recovery processes to restore normal kidney function. Our goal is to discover the inherent resistance and recovery factors in the kidney to prevent or speed recovery from renal failure. Doing so should have a major impact on improving the survival of a large number of critically ill children and adults.
Photos: Scott Van Why and Shaoying Chen