Radboud Summer school about the ins and outs of kidneys

25 July 2019

In the first week of July the research theme Renal disorders organised a summer school course on the ins and outs of kidneys: from physiomics to transplantations. The course, coordinated by Jojanneke Huck, provided a group of international students an interactive teaching week on all aspects of renal physiology, kidney diseases and treatment and the research at the Radboudumc.


At the Radboudumc, a close collaboration between renal researchers and nephrologists provides (bio)medical students interested in nephrology and renal physiology additional opportunities for research training. This summer school course was organized around renal research in general and the actual research in Nijmegen in particular, examining all aspects of kidney function. Topics include: water homeostasis, salt homeostasis and secretion, acid/base homeostasis, glomerular function, dialysis and transplantation, acute kidney failure, chronic kidney disease, diabetic nephropathy, polycystic kidney failure and a number of syndromes related to renal channelopathies. During the course students took part in interactive lectures about each topic, combined with practicals on modern molecular techniques. They be provided with hands-on demonstration at research labs and were able to visit a modern renal dialysis unit at the hospital. After completing this course, this student have gained a basic understanding of renal research, be able to understand the molecular techniques behind renal research and apply the principles of renal mechanisms to the understanding and treatment of kidney diseases. Students from Italy, Spain, USA, Belgium and the Netherlands worked in groups together on a challenge to present and discuss mechanisms of kidney diseases. Besides the scientific programme there was an attractive social program for all Radboud Summer school students consisting of a Pub quiz, dinner at the river and network activities in the Nijmegen city center. It all was a fantastic week and people enjoyed to learn, interact and get all the ins and outs of kidneys.

This summer the Radboud University will welcome over 800 students, PhDs and Postdocs at our University and we are already preparing for 2020 edition. If you would like to participate in this next edition, please leave your contact details with us and we will inform you as soon as our new courses are online.