The springboard award, launched by the Academy of Medical Sciences with support from the Wellcome Trust, is a competitive scheme aiming to support talented researchers developing into research leaders of the future.
Dr Fragiadaki has previously demonstrated that JAK-STAT signalling contributes to autosomal dominant polycystic kidney disease (DOI: 10.1016/j.kint.2016.10.039).
However how aberrant STAT5 (a transcription factor) signalling enhances the renal cystic phenotype is currently unknown. The study will investigate the transcriptional signature of STAT5 by combining most recent RNA-seq technologies with in vivo genetic models of disease and knockouts.
Dr Fragiadaki’s ultimate goal is to better understand the underlying pathophysiology of polycystic kidney disease in order to help provide new therapeutic targets for its treatment.