Michael Caplan, MD, PhD, chair and C.N.H. Long Professor of Cellular & Molecular Physiology and professor of cell biology at Yale School of Medicine, has received the Lillian Jean Kaplan International Prize for Advancement in the Understanding of Polycystic Kidney Disease.
The prize, given by the PKD (polycystic kidney disease) Foundation since 2002, “recognizes an individual(s) whose seminal scientific work constitutes tangible achievement toward improving knowledge and treatment of PKD.”
The award recognizes the work of Caplan’s laboratory on autosomal dominant polycystic kidney disease (APKD), the most common form of PKD, which is passed from parent to child and is “a serious genetic disorder and major cause of kidney failure,” according to the foundation. In PKD, cysts form on the kidneys, diminishing the organs’ ability to function.
“My laboratory has focused on exploring the molecular mechanisms involved in PKD and on identifying new potential therapeutic targets,” Caplan says. “Our efforts have been greatly enhanced by the collaborative spirit shared by the tremendously strong community of PKD researchers at Yale, which includes Drs. Stefan Somlo, Lloyd Cantley, and Whitney Besse, among many others.”
According to the National Kidney Foundation, 600,000 people in the United States have PKD, which causes 5% of all kidney failure. In its advanced stages, PKD may require hemodialysis and/or a kidney transplant.