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Ross Cagan, Ph.D.
NephCure Established Investigator Award
Dr. Ross Cagan attended the University of California, Los Angeles, and received his Ph.D. from Princeton University. He leads the Cagan Laboratory at the Ichahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai, a research laboratory targeted primarily at cancer and diabetes, including diabetic nephropathy. His team focuses on a genetic and drug screening approach, utilizing the fruit fly genus Drosophila in their research. The short life span of the fly offers them the ability to evolve many generations in a relatively short time period. Dr. Cagan’s integrated approach brings genes and drugs identified in Drosophila research to other animal models, and ultimately to human studies.
New York, New York
Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai
Lay Summary of the Project:
Dr. Cagan has developed a model of kidney disease using Drosophila (the fruit fly). The fruit fly has cells in its kidneys that are very similar to podocytes, called nephrocytes. By injuring the nephrocytes, Dr. Cagan mimics podocyte injury and searches for ways to repair it. This model allows for the understanding of how podocytes function as well as for the testing of drugs that can reverse podocyte damage.
