Kidney Punch

NZ Scientists already well engaged in the National Science Challenges

John Pickering • May 02, 2013

• National Science Challenges

Sorry to post twice in a day, but this is worth a look.  In the April Cabinet paper (here as a pdf) is an interesting graph which shows that 72.5% of current Vote Science and Innovation contestable and CRI core funding already goes to the newly announced National Science Challenges.  By my calcs the additional … Continue reading » … Read More

The tao of science missed by National Science Challenges

John Pickering • May 02, 2013

• National Party,
• National Science Challenges,
• research

The challenges are out. The committee has spoken. And now the critics respond.  Word on science street and in the media goes a bit like this: Brilliant $73M more for science in New Zealand.  Well done Steven Joyce and the National Party. Lacking in lustre.  These challenges are all a bit predictable. [eg Prof Hendy here] Damn. … Continue reading » … Read More

5

The Face of Kidney Attack Part III

John Pickering • Apr 24, 2013

• Acute Kidney Injury,
• Coast to Coast,
• Health,
• kidney,
• Kidney Attack,
• leptospirosis,
• Mental health,
• Renal Failure,
• Steve Gurney

He didn’t die, quite.  But later thought he may well of.  Steve Gurney’s episode of Acute Kidney Injury (see Part II) didn’t finish him after he was discharged from his third hospital (one each in Malaysia, Singapore and New Zealand) – 4 weeks after the event. While media outlets clamoured to hear the story of … Continue reading » … Read More

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Cooking up a new kidney

John Pickering • Apr 15, 2013

• $100Dialysis,
• bioengineering,
• End Stage Renal Disease,
• End stage renal failure,
• kidney,
• Renal Failure,
• Transplant,
• Urine

The Boston Kidney Recipe Take an unwanted kidney. Disconnect from plumbing. Wash away cells (use plenty of detergent). Take resultant scaffold and reseed with a few cells obtained from someone needing the kidney. Place in bioreactor and “cook” for 3 to 5d (or until done) Place regenerated kidneys into the transplant recipient and connect to … Continue reading » … Read More

Spin Doctors go to work on PBRF

John Pickering • Apr 12, 2013

• PBRF,
• Performance Based Research Fund,
• Scoop,
• TEC,
• TEO,
• Tertiary Education Commission,
• Tertiary Education Providers,
• university,
• University of Taihape

University of Taihape:  Doctor Doctor I’ve got a 1.7 on my PBRF Doctor Spin: Never mind son, your Gumbootlogy results make you the healthiest tertiary education provider in the country.  Let’s talk about that, shall we? Scoop.co.nz has all the spin from the universities and polytechnics this morning as they try and give the impression … Continue reading » … Read More

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The Face of Kidney Attack Part II

John Pickering • Apr 10, 2013

• $100Dialysis,
• Acute Kidney Injury,
• Acute Renal Failure,
• kidney,
• Kidney Attack,
• leptospirosis,
• Mulu Cave,
• Steve Gurney

This guy crawls through bat dung for fun.  He also runs incredibly long distances and then cycles or kayaks more.  If you’ve not guessed already, our Face of Kidney Attack is multisport and adventure racer Sir Steve Gurney (He’s not really “Sir” but anyone who does what he does deserves some sort of honorific and … Continue reading » … Read More

The Face of Kidney Attack

John Pickering • Apr 03, 2013

• $100Dialysis,
• Acute Kidney Injury,
• Acute Renal Failure,
• AKI,
• ARF,
• Health,
• hospital,
• Kidney Attack,
• leptospirosis,
• my work

It ain’t pretty, it’s Acute Kidney Injury.  This case was probably brought on by leptospirosis.  This is the face of a well known New Zealander.  Do you recognise him?  He’s kindly lent his name to my research on AKI.  I will reveal that name in future posts as I tell his remarkable story. Tagged: Acute … Continue reading » … Read More

Are we getting safe medicines?

John Pickering • Mar 22, 2013

• Drugs,
• Medicines,
• side effects

Do you read the small print about side effects?  Does your doctor tell you?  What are the chances that taking a medicine will kill you or make you ill in an entirely new way? This last question is one reason why trials are run before a medicine is approved for use.  However, there is an … Continue reading » … Read More

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Kidneys Are The Hardest Workers In Your Body

John Pickering • Mar 15, 2013

• $100Dialysis

Reblogged from Factographs: World Kidney Day — March 14 this year — is a worldwide awareness campaign that aims to draw attention to kidney disease. Yet another awareness campaign? Yes, we’re afraid so. But this one isn’t pointless. Kidney disease affects a lot of people throughout the globe, and around 10 percent of US adults. … Continue reading » … Read More

Happy WKD

John Pickering • Mar 13, 2013

• Acute Kidney Injury,
• Acute Renal Failure,
• Christchurch Kidney Research Group,
• Health,
• Health Research Council,
• Kidney Attack,
• Kidneys,
• Lottery Health New Zealand,
• Marsden Fund,
• my work,
• research,
• University of Otago,
• World Kidney Day

I love living in NZ, it enables me to be the first in the world to wish everyone a happy World Kidney Day.  May your kidneys never lack oxygen, be always filtering, and ever distant from the nephrologists biopsy needle! Let me remind you:  If it weren’t for your kidneys where would you be You’d … Continue reading » … Read More