The clue
A unique few never developed high cholesterol, no matter how they lived.
9 out of 10 don't know they have it.
There are few symptoms, often confused for other issues. Our kidneys rarely give us a warning until the damage is already done.
Silence is one of the reasons why kidney disease keeps climbing the list of the world's deadliest conditions, with almost no one talking about it.
Our study
So how do you catch something that hides?
With the help of participants, our study is working to discover the genes that determine who develops kidney disease.
I want to helpWhat is this research?
How does it work?
Genetics research has led to real-world medicines.
It’s how researchers cracked cholesterol.
Sometimes people are naturally born protected from a certain disease. If researchers can figure out why or how, they can use that knowledge to help protect everyone. That’s what happened with the PCSK9 gene:
Investigate
Scientists analyzed their DNA along with thousands of others to find the small differences between individuals.
Find
With enough participants, scientists found one small genetic change that kept cholesterol low for life.
Translate
This discovery led to a new class of heart medicine that can help protect millions of people from heart disease.
About a decade from clue to medicine.
Now it's kidney disease's turn.
Take actionBased on the discovery of loss-of-function variants in the PCSK9 gene, linked to lifelong low LDL cholesterol and lower cardiovascular risk (Cohen et al., NEJM, 2006), which led to approved PCSK9-inhibitor medicines.
Who can join
Anyone can join.
People living with kidney disease
Comparing your DNA with people without the disease helps find which genes affect how it progresses.
Healthy individuals
You’re the baseline. By joining, you help researchers study kidney health across a wider community.
How to take part
Three simple steps.
It starts online and continues at home. No clinic visits.
Step 1
Complete the online questionnaire
Tell us a little about yourself and review the participation information.
Step 2
Receive and use the saliva kit
A free kit arrives with instructions and a prepaid return envelope.
Step 3
Return your sample
Your saliva powers the research. And you get a free ancestry report too.
Privacy and trust
You're in control of your data.
It's your data, so you call the shots. From the moment you register your kit, you have meaningful choice in everything you do.
- Transparency on how we process your information.
- Strict internal policies to prevent data misuse.
- Constant monitoring by data experts.
- Approved by an Institutional Review Board (IRB).
We want you to be part of this
As a thank you for joining,
you'll receive a free
ancestry report!
Take part in the study 