AKINow Basic Science Workgroup Mission
Innovate AKI prevention, diagnosis, and treatment by leveraging basic science discoveries.
AKINow Journal Club: Intravenous Amino Acids for Kidney Protection Recorded on Dec. 5, 2024

Acute kidney injury (AKI) is a serious and common complication of cardiac surgery. Intravenous amino acids increase kidney perfusion and recruit renal functional reserve. However, the efficacy of amino acids in reducing the occurrence of AKI after cardiac surgery is uncertain. In a multinational, double-blind trial, the authors randomly assigned adult patients who were scheduled to undergo cardiac surgery with cardiopulmonary bypass to receive an intravenous infusion of either a balanced mixture of amino acids or placebo for up to 3 days.
View this Journal Club Presentation to learn the outcome of this research.
AKINow Journal Club: SOX9 Switch Activity Recorded June 20, 2024

Dr. Sanjeev Kumar presents his recent article from Science, on how SOX9 switch activity determines healing with or without fibrosis after AKI.
AKINow Journal Club Recorded January 23, 2024

Featured article: Teprasiran, a Small Interfering RNA, for the Prevention of Acute Kidney Injury in High-Risk Patients Undergoing Cardiac Surgery: A Randomized Clinical Study
PubMed. 2021 Oct 5;144(14):1133-1144. https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/34474590/. Epub 2021 Sep 3.
The authors and moderators discuss this study wherein the incidence, severity, and duration of early AKI in high-risk patients undergoing cardiac surgery were significantly reduced after teprasiran administration.
Automated medication-targeted alerts on AKI outcomes (AKINow Journal Club Presentation) Recorded July 20, 2023

In this randomized control trial, the authors investigated whether an automated clinical decision support system affects discontinuation rates of potentially nephrotoxic medications and improves outcomes in patients with AKI.
The paper’s lead author, Dr. F. Perry Wilson, discusses the study and answers questions.
Nat Commun 14, 2826 (2023). https://doi.org/10.1038/s41467-023-38532-3 Published May 17, 2023
Watch Inaugural AKINow Journal Club from February 7, 2023

Authors Kensei Taguchi and Craig Brooks discuss the role of CG1 and CDK5 in maladaptive repair. Amandeep Bajwa moderates.
AKINow Basic Science Workgroup Goals
- Create a compendium or centralized information portal
- Communicate knowledge around AKI innovation more effectively – partner with Public Awareness and Education Workgroup
- Foster innovation in education in AKI pathogenesis via coursework
- Promote collaborations around AKI basic science
- Establish a [pre]clinical Development roadmap