Haojia Wu’s scRNA-seq paper was #9 of 12 hot topics at NephJC; Visual Abstract by Sinead Stoneman, NephJC
Congratulations to investigators in our division whose research using single cell RNA sequencing (scRNA-seq) was highlighted as one of the top nephrology stories of 2018 at NephJC, a nephrology journal club that uses Twitter to discuss the latest news in nephrology, and the scientific journal JASN.
The topic of scRNA-seq came in at number nine of 12 on NephJC’s list. NephJC highlighted two papers published last year utilizing this cutting-edge technology. One is by Dr. Haojia Wu et al. from the Humphreys Laboratory, Division of Nephrology at Washington University, published in Cell Stem Cell. The other paper is by Dr. Jihwan Park et al. from the Susztak Laboratory at the University of Pennsylvania, published in Science.
Haojia Wu, Instructor of Medicine
Both papers highlight the value of scRNA-seq as a game-changing tool for studying kidney biology and disease. With scRNA-seq, it is possible to measure the expression of thousands of genes in thousands of single cells from a biopsy core rapidly, simultaneously, and quantitatively.
A thorough discussion of both scRNA-seq papers highlighted by NephJC, featured in their December chat session, can be found here . Also provided in the session are a video summary and visual abstracts illustrating the methods and findings of the papers. NephJC has put out a yearly list of hot nephrology topics since 2010.
Andrew F. Malone, Assistant Professor of Medicine
The importance of scRNA-seq technology was also recognized by the journal JASN. Another paper by Wu, together with co-first author Andrew F. Malone, MB, BCh, was chosen as one of JASN’s five top articles of 2018. The article, Single-Cell Transcriptomics of a Human Kidney Allograft Biopsy Specimen Defines a Diverse Inflammatory Response, was highlighted on the cover of the JASN August 2018 issue. Drs. Wu and Malone used the scRNA-seq technology to map previously defined genes that associate with rejection outcomes to single cell types and generate a searchable online gene expression database.
NephJC’s Top Nephrology Stories of 2018:
1. Nephrologists take care of the most complex patients
2. Tolvaptan is approved by the FDA
3. Early RRT in ICU is still bad, Sepsis edition (IDEAL-ICU)
4. More Iron is good (PIVOTAL)
5. Pexivas: The end of PLEX as we know it?
6. SGLT2 mixed bag: DECLARE and Amputations
7. SuPAR predicts kidney badness
8. Use Apixaban in Dialysis
9. Single Cell RNA sequencing
10. Barbershop-based pharmacists reduce BP
11. More Caffeine, less Neonatal AKI
12. Bicarb may, perhaps, be useful in AKI in ICU?
Topics of the top five JASN publications for 2018 are:
- Research compares mouse and human kidney development, mesenchymal progenitor cell types, and molecular and anatomical features of nephron patterning
- APOL1 High-Risk Genotype Linked with Poor Renal Outcomes in Kidney Donors
- Effect of Weight Loss Surgery on CKD Risk
- New Research May Explain the Link between HD and Brain Function Decline
- Technique Measures Gene Expression in Thousands of Cells from Kidney Biopsies
Follow Dr. Wu @HaojiaWu, Dr. Malone @AndrewFMalone, NephJC @NephJC and JASN @JASN_News on Twitter.