Currently, dialysis is the main treatment option for people with kidney failure. Many will receive dialysis for years while waiting for a kidney transplant. Unfortunately, long-term dialysis becomes a burden for many due to restrictions in diet and travel and an overall decline in quality of life. 

Recently, researchers at the University of California, San Francisco were awarded $650,000 for a working prototype of an artificial kidney. Learn more about how their research may one day lead to a new treatment solution for kidney failure patients. 

How Does the Artificial Kidney Work? 

For approximately a decade, UCSF researcher Shuvo Roy, Ph.D. and colleagues have been working to develop an artificial kidney. Their current working prototype uses two chambers, each about the size of a deck of cards. One chamber has membrane filters that clean out the blood, similar to dialysis. The other chamber contains a bioreactor with living cells, which perform some of the other functions of a healthy kidney. 

“We were able to produce a functional prototype. A prototype that was able to produce urine,” says professor Roy. “Our artificial kidney will allow patients to eat and drink freely, travel without being tethered to a machine, and have better physiological outcomes because they’re getting continuous treatment,” 

What Are the Hold-Ups?

After the prototype was tested successfully in live animals, human trials will be the next step. However, Roy says the technology will have to be scaled up for humans. The current challenges to improving the prototype are funding and improved engineering. Since there was success with the current design, Roy believes this shows their artificial kidney to be practical with the necessary scale-up. 

When Might It Be Available? 

Roy believes the artificial kidney is on the horizon and says it will likely serve as a treatment option in the next decade. 

*Pena, L. (2021, September 30). Bay Area research team wins $650,000 for working prototype of artificial kidney. ABC7 San Francisco. https://abc7news.com/kidney-specialists-doctors-dialysis-signs-of-infection/11062194/