Current Research

Focus and scope of our current work

Content areas

• Kidney disease in all populations
• Aboriginal health (resilience, development, ear health)
• Child health (enuresis, e-health)
• Other conditions (e.g. rheumatic diseases, cardiovascular disease, obesity)

Methodological strengths

• clinical epidemiology
• biostatistics
• clinical trials
• large cohort and observational studies
• systematic reviews and evidence synthesis
• surveys
• qualitative methods
• consensus-based methods (e.g. Delphi technique, nominal group technique, consensus workshops)
• economic evaluations
• choice experiments
• outcomes (e.g. PROMs)

Summary of research initiatives and projects

Our broad program of research is primarily in the area of chronic kidney disease. We also conduct collaborative and multidisciplinary research in other areas of health. Our clinical research portfolio includes clinical trials, large cohort studies, systematic reviews and meta-analysis, surveys, qualitative studies (e.g. systematic reviews, interviews, focus groups), consensus-based methods (e.g. Delphi technique, nominal group technique, consensus workshops), economic evaluations, and choice experiments.

National and international initiatives based at the Centre for Kidney Research include:

Cochrane Kidney and Transplant (CKT): Cochrane produces and disseminates systematic reviews of research on healthcare interventions.

Standardised Outcomes in Nephrology (SONG): An international initiative that aims to establish core outcomes in chronic kidney disease that are based on the shared priorities of patients, caregivers, and health professionals.

Kidney Health Australia Caring for Australasians with Renal Impairment (KHA-CARI): KHA-CARI facilitates the development and implementation of evidence-based clinical practice guidelines.

We also conduct clinical trials and large scale epidemiological studies including:

ARDAC: Antecedents of Renal Disease in Aboriginal Children This is a community-based, longitudinal, cohort study which means that the same study participants remain involved for a long period of time! The ARDAC study monitors the kidney and heart health of children and young people in NSW. It began in 2002 and is based at the Centre for Kidney Research at the Children’s Hospital at Westmead in western Sydney.

DETECT

This is a large-scale, international study of the effects of screening for advanced colorectal neoplasms (advanced adenomas and cancer) using immunochemical faecal occult blood testing (iFOBT) in people with chronic kidney disease (CKD).

KCAD

Kids with CKD is national prospective cohort study that aims to assess the economic and social situation of the caregivers of children and adolescents with CKD, and will provide definitive evidence of determining whether a link between socioeconomic status of caregivers and outcomes of children with CKD exists.

SEARCH

Study of Environment on Aboriginal Resilience and Child Health (SEARCH) – this is Australia's largest long-term study of the health and wellbeing of urban Aboriginal Children. The areas of focus include social and emotional wellbeing, ear health, hearing, speech and language development, cardiovascular, kidney and metabolic disease, health risk behaviours and environmental health.

DIET-HD

Cohort study on dietary factors and outcomes in haemodialysis.

COGNITIVE-HD

Cohort study on cognition and outcomes in haemodialysis.

KIDNEY-TEXT

Trial of nutrition and other lifestyle interventions (text messaging) to prevent and manage CKD

AVATAR/WATCH

Trials of interventions to prevent incontinence in children

Other research projects/topics

Our research also includes: research priority setting, social inequalities, organ donation and allocation, registry analysis, outcomes in related chronic conditions (rheumatology, cardiovascular disease, cancer), patient involvement and engagement in research and healthcare, decision-making in CKD, health economics, elicitation, and preferences, and determinants of health.