معرفی
Ivana Kuo, PhD, is an Associate Professor at the Department of Cell & Molecular Physiology within the Stritch School of Medicine at Loyola University Chicago. Her research focuses on intracellular calcium signaling, cardio-renal crosstalk, and genetic kidney disease, particularly investigating the role of polycystin-2 in disease mechanisms. The Kuo laboratory employs electrophysiology, live-cell imaging, and in-vivo/ex-vivo methodologies to study calcium-modulating pathways in conditions such as polycystic kidney disease and hypertension. The lab is funded by the National Institute of Diabetes and Digestive and Kidney Diseases (NIDDK).
Research interests include understanding how disruptions in calcium signaling lead to cardiac and renal pathologies, with a focus on polycystin proteins and their roles in organ-level communication. Recent work highlights the importance of polycystin-2 in natriuretic peptide signaling, hypertension regulation, and cardiac dysfunction in autosomal dominant polycystic kidney disease (ADPKD).
Publications span molecular mechanisms of calcium channels, organ-level interactions, and translational applications of genetic models. Key findings include the role of polycystin-2 in modulating cardiac calcium cycling and its implications for heart failure. The lab also explores novel imaging techniques and therapeutic targets for renal and cardiovascular diseases.
Funding: NIDDK grant actively supports ongoing research. The Kuo Lab collaborates on projects involving multi-organ signaling, with particular emphasis on translational studies linking basic research to clinical outcomes.
