THE RESULTS
LAB PANELCreatinine0.7-1.3 mg/dL
2.9 mg/dLeGFR>60
28
28that’s not right...
The test showed two numbers, dramatically out of range.
Dramatization for illustration, not a real patient's records.
Ray felt fine.
Until a routine blood test said otherwise.
Ray's story is an example of why a study like ours needs people like you — healthy kidneys or not.
A normal Tuesday
Ray was 34 and living a completely normal life. Between his office job and his Sunday soccer games, he felt entirely healthy. His kidneys were the last thing on his mind because he didn't feel sick at all.
Then Ray went in for a standard yearly physical. The blood check was supposed to be a quick box to tick, but it caught a problem he never saw coming.
Age 34
Zero symptoms
Sunday soccer
The follow-up
A follow-up confirmed it: his kidneys were already seriously damaged.
Ray never noticed a single symptom, and looking back, his body hadn't given him any warning signs either.
“
I didn't even know that was a thing.— Ray
No one in his family had ever mentioned kidney issues, leaving him with zero reason to expect why his numbers came back the way they did.
What came next
Ray eventually received a transplant. Once he recovered, he had to do something to help others. He searched for how he could make an impact. He shared his story. He found that genetics research is easy to participate in and has the potential to make an outsized impact on the future of Kidney disease treatments.
This is exactly why our research study on the genetics of kidney disease matters. Providing a single saliva sample allows researchers to start reading the patterns that Ray's body never announced.
Make an impact like RayCan a study like ours actually work?
How analyzing DNA has
led to real medicine.
By studying large groups of DNA over time, researchers have discovered people who are born with a natural genetic advantage. For instance, a rare few carry a unique gene variation that keeps their cholesterol levels low for life, while also lowering their risk of heart disease.
Step 1
Study the DNA of thousands of people along with their health records.
Step 2
Spot someone who's naturally protected.
Step 3
Scientists turn that clue into medicine.
This approach led to a new class of cholesterol medication, moving from the initial genetic discovery to an approved treatment in roughly a decade. Our kidney study is looking for the same kind of hidden clue in kidney disease.
Anyone 18+ living in the U.S. can participate in this study
Healthy or not, your participation counts.
If you have kidney disease
Your DNA may hold the answers no one has read yet. It can be the clue that could make the next person's diagnosis come sooner.
If you are healthy or if you aren't sure
Ray felt completely fine too, right up until a standard lab checkup. Healthy DNA gives researchers the baseline they need to map out what normal looks like, making patterns easy to spot.
How it works
Three steps, one tube.
Simpler than the blood test that caught Ray's condition.
No needlesAbout 15 minutesPostage prepaid
Step 1
Sign up
Answer a few questions online. We mail you a free saliva kit.
Step 2
Spit in the tube
A saliva sample done at home. It takes about 15 minutes, with no needles or doctor visits required.
Step 3
Mail it back
Postage is prepaid. That's the whole commitment.
Privacy
You are in control of your data.
It's your data, so you call the shots. From the moment you register your kit and set up your private account, you have meaningful choice in everything you do.
- Transparency on how we process your personal information.
- We operate under strict internal policies and procedures to prevent data misuse.
- Constant monitoring by data experts to check our systems and make sure they're secure.
- Reviewed and approved by an Institutional Review Board (IRB) that protects your rights as a participant.
As a thank you for joining, you'll receive a free ancestry report!
I want to join and receive my reportNote: the study does not return individual DNA results.
Concerned about your kidneys? Talk to your doctor — learn about the risk factors and the two simple tests at kidney.org.
Not ready yet?
Start with an email.
Get updates on what researchers are learning about the genetics of kidney disease. When you're ready, joining takes about 15 minutes.
Today's checklist
- ✓Read Ray's story
- Stay in the loop