Three winners of the prize Gertrude von Meissner
From left to right, Dr Grégoire Arnoux, Dr Ali Sassi and Dr David Legouis © UNIGE
The Gertrude von Meissner Foundation Research Prize rewards scientific projects in the field of prevention and treatment of disabilities and diseases in children and adolescents.
This year, Dr. David Legouis from Prof. Sophie de Seigneux's laboratory and Dr. Ali Sassi and Dr. Grégoire Arnoux from Prof. Eric Feraille's laboratory are among the winners for their project.
Their project investigates the impact of proximal tubule metabolic workload on the toxicity of chronic proteinuria in pediatric nephrotic syndrome. The hypothesis is that increased energy demand exacerbates mitochondrial stress in tubular cells, contributing to the progression of chronic kidney disease. The study assesses tubular injury, oxygen consumption, and ATP production. The findings will be validated in paediatric kidney biopsies, aiming to develop new therapeutic strategies.