Research Interests

ADPKD is the most common genetic disease affecting the kidney with an estimated prevalence of 1 in 1000. It is the fourth most common cause of kidney failure globally and affects around 10% of people on kidney replacement therapy. The mechanisms underlying cyst formation have been intensely studied but remain incompletely understood. The process of cyst formation can be broadly divided into two phases ie cyst initiation and cyst expansion. Variants in two genes, PKD1 and PKD2, account for over 90% of all cases of ADPKD.

The Ong lab aims to develop novel therapies to prevent or inhibit cyst formation in ADPKD by studying the molecular basis underlying cyst initiation and cyst expansion. Our studies around cyst initiation have mainly focussed on investigating the functions of PKD1, PKD2 and related genes or proteins within the PKD1/Polycystin1 network. Work around cyst expansion seeks to elucidate the role of non-coding RNAs and RNA metabolism in disease progression. The lab employs human-derived cellular models, model organisms, experimental models, computational modelling, clinical and genetic data from deeply phenotyped cohorts to study disease mechanisms with a primary focus on clinical translation.