Overwhelming evidence exists that some types of proteinuric kidney diseases are caused by the factor(s) present in patients' blood and body fluids. Identification and characterization of such factor(s) would greatly help in better and noninvasive diagnosis of such conditions, development of better therapeutic options, and potentially revealing underlying pathogenic mechanisms.
Owing to the tremendous capabilities of the proteomics facility within the Division of Nephrology we developed experiments that we think will result in significant improvement in our knowledge of major kidney diseases.

If you have a glomerular disease, have had kidney biopsy in the last 5 years, are not on dialysis, and have not had a kidney transplant or was previously enrolled in the NEPTUNE study, you may be eligible to take part in this research study. The purpose of this study is to gather a group of patients with glomerular disease to create a source of information along with your kidney biopsy slides, blood, and urine samples so that researchers can easily and effectively study glomerular disease.

A device called the "Liposorber LA-15 System" has been approved by the
United States Food and Drug Administration for treating kids with focal
segmental glomerulosclerosis (FSGS). The "Liposorber LA-15 System" can only be used if other treatment options, like drugs, don't work or can't be used,
but the kidneys are still working okay. It can also be used if the subject
has had a kidney transplant and the FSGS comes back after the
transplant. Although the Liposorber System can be used for FSGS, we
are not sure how well the Liposorber System works. So, we are doing this
study to find out how well the treatment works in adults.
In this research study, there will be up to 5 adults who have FSGS
enrolled at MUSC. Subjects will come back for up to 12 treatments over 9
weeks and then 5 visits to their study doctor over the next 2 years.