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Associate Professor Øystein Solberg Eikrem at the University of Bergen (���ϳԹ���Դ) is leading research that could become a turning point for patients with the disease IgA nephropathy.

IgA nephropathy (IgAN) is the most common cause of chronic inflammation in the kidney’s filtering units, both in Norway and worldwide. The diagnosis is made by taking a tissue biopsy from the kidney.

IgAN often affects young adults and can progress to severe kidney failure, requiring kidney transplantation or dialysis. According to the Journal of the Norwegian Medical Association, just over 100 people are diagnosed with the disease each year in Norway.

“This is an autoimmune disease that attacks the kidneys and can dramatically change people’s lives,” says Øystein Solberg Eikrem.

Multidiplinary approach 

He leads the The Renal Research Group and the Department of Clinical Science, Faculty of Medicine. The group consists of a multidisciplinary environment of both biologists and clinicians, enabling close integration between molecular analyses and clinical challenges.

The group collaborates closely with the Renal Section at Haukeland University Hospital (HUS), led by Thomas Knoop, as well as with nephropathologist Sabine Leh at the Department of Pathology. This collaboration strengthens the integration of research, clinical practice, and diagnostics.

Eikrem is also in the final stage of the competition to receive an from the European Research Council. The ERC Starting Grant is a prestigious EU funding scheme for early-career researchers who wish to establish their own research group and carry out ambitious, innovative projects. The grant supports early career development and provides substantial funding to build an independent research profile. 

“This is an autoimmune disease that attacks the kidneys and can dramatically change people’s lives" 

Limited knowledge on disease progression

The research project ��ٱ貹����-���Ҵ���” will make use of cutting-edge technology to develop an entirely new molecular understanding of the disease. A key resource is the Norwegian Renal Registry, which contains tissue samples from 19,000 Norwegian patients with kidney disease, including more than 2,000 patients with IgAN.

The challenge today is that physicians lack reliable tools to predict who will experience rapid disease progression and who may live for many years with stable disease. Diagnosis is still primarily based on microscopic examination of kidney tissue and basic blood and urine tests, which fail to capture the large variability between patients.

“In practice, we dive deep into the biology. By mapping which genes are active in very specific areas of the kidney tissue, we can determine which cells control which gene expressions,” Eikrem explains.

A "Google maps" for cells 

The technology being used is known as spatial transcriptomics. It makes it possible to sequence all genes in a tissue section while simultaneously identifying exactly where in the tissue those genes are expressed. Or simply how the cells operate.

This process generates enormous amounts of data, and parts of the analysis can be performed using advance AI models. AI can also detect microscopic patterns in tissue images that are too subtle for even expert pathologists to identify.

“For patients, this means we can analyze gene expression to identify a molecular profile that tells us whether their disease is likely to have a good or poor prognosis.”

Precision medicine is the goal 

Once researchers identify a new gene profile, they can also evaluate which medicines might specifically target the mechanisms driving disease progression. These may include drugs originally developed for other conditions, a strategy known as “repurposing.” 

Today, patients diagnosed with kidney disease typically receive general kidney-protective treatment such as blood pressure medication, cholesterol-lowering drugs, and in some cases immunosuppressive therapy. 

However, much like in certain cancer treatments, care is often not personalized. 

“There are many ongoing clinical trials investigating more targeted therapies, what we call precision medicine. The Renal Research Group has also published three PhD theses with long-term data on this disease. We see that disease progression varies enormously within the same diagnostic group,” says Eikrem. 

Strong application support

Applying for an ERC Starting Grant is an extensive and time-consuming process. Eikrem highlights the strong support he has received from both the faculty and the central administration at ���ϳԹ���Դ.

“They have helped with all the administrative aspects, such as setting up the budget. If I were to be fortunate enough to receive the grant, it would be a tremendous door-opener. We already collaborate with several international partners, and it would also bring greater international visibility to our research,” Eikrem concludes.