Changing the future of kidney disease
Chronic Kidney Disease (CKD) affects more than 10% of adults worldwide – it’s hard to detect and diagnose until its later stage, known as kidney failure.
More than 70,000 people in the UK are being treated for kidney failure and there is no cure. Patients rely on dialysis to survive while waiting, sometimes for years, for a transplant.
Whilst dialysis gives patients hope, research shows that it can add to the already higher risk of cardiovascular disease faced by people with kidney failure.
Understanding why, and how to reduce that risk, is at the heart of researcher Asmita Chaudhari’s (MSc 2024, Medicine 2025-) work. Her PhD is funded thanks to generous gifts in Wills left by people who believe in the power of research to change lives.
Healthy kidneys are supposed to filter 180 litres of blood every day, removing waste and helping to regulate the body’s chemistry. Dialysis replicates this function while a patient waits for a transplant.
“There are two types of dialysis,“ Asmita explains. "The one most people are familiar with – haemodialysis – which uses a machine to clean blood outside of the body. This is performed in the hospital and has to happen several times a week for three to five hours at a time.
“Peritoneal dialysis by contrast, happens at home. A solution is injected into the abdomen, draws waste product from the blood, and is then drained away. The patient is largely in control. It allows for mealtimes, bedtimes, and daily life to be as normal as possible.
“When the choice is treatment at home or hospital, many patients understandably want to be in a comfortable environment, with their family. Peritoneal dialysis makes this an option, but we want to be certain to reduce the associated risks as much as possible.
“But there’s a challenge,“ Asmita explains. “The heart and the kidneys work closely together to clean and distribute blood throughout the body. This means that kidney disease and cardiovascular disease are often linked – one increases the risk of the other and vice versa.“
Shockingly, patients with kidney failure are 10–20 times more likely to die from heart disease, and dialysis appears to raise the risk further.
Asmita’s research aims to change that.
“We want patients with kidney disease to have access to lifesaving treatment without increasing their chances of developing another life-threatening condition.“
Asmita Chaudhari (MSc 2024, Medicine 2025-)
“My work looks at how the solution used in peritoneal dialysis affects the blood vessels and heart, and how we can reduce the ‘inflammatory burden’ it may cause. Ultimately, we want dialysis to support long-term health – not compromise it.“
Asmita’s focus wasn’t always on research. “Growing up I was a junior international badminton player and dual career athlete. I completed my BSc at Loughborough University studying Human Biology alongside training and competing for the university.
“Through my BSc, I was introduced to modules such as Biochemistry and Cell Biology, and Cell Signalling and Transport. It was through these that my interest in these areas began. After my BSc, I chose to delve deeper into my academic interests, where I had the incredible opportunity to study at Cardiff and pursue an MSc in Tissue Engineering and Regenerative Medicine.
“During this year at Cardiff, I completed a 4-month research project focusing on innate immune pathway activation in kidney disease, and it was here that my desire to pursue research began.“
Asmita’s PhD has been made possible thanks to gifts in Wills to the Wales Heart Research Institute.
“One PhD can make an immense difference,” she says. “It trains a researcher with new skills, gives them the freedom to pursue new routes of discovery, and adds vital knowledge to the field. Thanks to these gifts in Wills, we’re taking real steps toward safer, more effective treatment for kidney patients. I’m incredibly grateful.“
The Wales Heart Research Institute (WHRI) at Cardiff University leads a range of research programmes aimed at improving our understanding of the mechanisms underlying cardiovascular disease. The ultimate goal is to improve patient outcomes and develop better treatments. Gifts to the WHRI – including those to the Sir Geraint Evans Fund – help train the next generation of scientists and clinicians through higher degrees and fellowships.
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