As the peak body for kidney health in Australia, we are proud to support research that helps decrease incidence rates of kidney disease in communities, as well as improve management. This requires strong links with partner organisations and the financing of research that can make a difference to patient's lives.
We collaborate with other Australasian research organisations, including:
The Australian and New Zealand Societ of Nephrology (ANZSN)'s Research Advisory CommitteeBetter Evidence and Translation - Chronic Kidney Disease (BEAT-CKD)Australasian Kidney Trial Network (AKTN)To see what we're working on, please visit our current research program for more information.
Australian Genomics is an NHMRC funded national research network that connects 80 organisations committed to integrating genomic medicine into healthcare in Australia. It aims to improve diagnostics, enable early intervention and support equitable access to genomic medicine. Its research is developing the knowledge to translate genomic technology sustainably into clinical practice, so patients and their families benefit.
At Kidney Health Australia, we encourage people to find out about what research is happening - and where appropriate, to take part.
If you'd like to find out more about participating, please visit our Get involved in research page.
The Better Evidence and Translation - Chronic Kidney Disease (BEAT-CKD) is a collaborative research program that aims to improve the lives of people living with chronic kidney disease in Australia and globally by generating high-quality research evidence to inform healthcare decisions made by patients, health professionals, and policy makers. BEAT-CKD addresses the entire spectrum of CKD, from early-stage chronic kidney disease, through to dialysis, and kidney transplantation.
The objectives are to:
identify promising interventions for existing high priority outcomesidentify new priority outcomes that are patient-centred, and potential interventions to improve these outcomesprovide robust evidence about these interventionsidentify which patients might achieve the most benefit from these interventionsidentify and evaluate strategies to deliver these interventions in diverse clinical settings.BEAT-CKD is funded by a NHMRC Program Grant (APP1092957) and supports four national research and translation platforms including: CARI, ANZDATA, Australian Clinical Trials Network (AKTN), Cochrane Kidney and Transplant.
Patient and Carer Forums
Kidney Health Australia have partnered with BEAT-CKD to host patient and carer forums. The programs for the sessions are informed by consumer preferences and ideas. The 2019 forum was held as part of the World Congress of Nephrology in Melbourne. Topics including exercise, dialysis-related fatigue, the carer's perspective and consumer engagement in research.
The 2018 forum was held as part of the Australian and New Zealand Society of Nephrology Annual Scientific Meeting in Darwin. The sessions aimed to provide 'updates' of current kidney disease research to consumers.
Recordings of the forums can be viewed via the BEAT-CKD YouTube channel
We are also working on a project with the KidGen Collective and Australian Genomics called HIDDEN. Our goal is to investigate whether genes can unlock a kidney diagnosis and help someone in their clinical journey.
HIDDEN is one of four rare disease flagship projects. Locally, it involves collaboration between MNHHS/RBWH Kidney Health Service, Genetics Health Queensland and CHQHHS/LCCH Child and Adolescent Renal Service who operate the Queensland Conjoint Renal Genetics Service, along with the University of Queensland Faculty of Medicine and Institute for Molecular Bioscience.
The KidGen Collaborative, led nationally by Dr Mallett, is an Australian consortium of clinicians, genetic counselors, genetic diagnosticians and researchers focused on providing a definitive diagnosis to patients with inherited forms of kidney disease whilst working to better understand these diseases in the hope of developing new treatments.
KidGen currently has 14 affiliated renal genetics clinics all around the country, with the first having been established at RBWH as recently as August 2013.
Other key partners for the HIDDEN Flagship include Genome. One at the Garvan Institute, VCGS at Murdoch Children's Research Institute, Kidney Health Australia, Genomics England and the Aotearoa Renal Genetics Study.
In 2017, the Federal Government commissioned Kidney Health Australia to conduct the community consultations for the guidelines to improve Indigenous kidney health. We've set ourselves an ambitious target when it comes to this important mission, specifically around the ongoing management of the disease within the community.
We need relevant guidelines and an up-to-date framework to continually improve health outcomes for those in these communities. Since 1999, Kidney Health Australia and the Australian New Zealand Society of Nephrology (ANZSN) have partnered to fund The Kidney Health Australia- Caring for Australasians with Renal Impairment guidelines group (KHA-CARI). This partnership aims to produce evidence-based clinical practice guidelines for the management of chronic kidney disease in Australia and New Zealand. In 2019, we conducted six community consultations to identify gaps, set recommendations to improve usefulness and suggest scope and content for the new Indigenous guidelines.
Throughout 2019, an expert Clinician Panel Consultation Report was developed from consultations around the nation, including Ceduna (SA), Adelaide (SA), port Augusta (SA), Perth (WA), Broome (WA), and Kalgoorlie (WA). further community consultations have been carried out in NSW, TAS and QLD through out 2020.
Our commitment to collaboration is central to this work. With expert input from the Lowitja Institute, the Aboriginal Kidney Care Together Improving Outcomes Now (aKction) project and other joint consultations, the updated KHA-CARI guidelines will help to continually improve Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people's healthcare outcomes.