Brad Astor, PhD, MPH, associate professor, Nephrology, has been awarded $1.3M over five years (U01 award) from the National Institutes of Health - National Institute of Diabetes and Digestive and Kidney Diseases for a proposal entitled, "APOL1 Long-term Kidney Transplantation Outcomes Research Network (APOLLO)." 

The University of Wisconsin-Madison is one of 13 clinical sites in the United States participating in the APOLLO consortium. The overall objective of this effort is to elucidate the role of apolipoprotein L1 (ApoL1) genotypes in kidney transplant recipients receiving an organ from an African-American donor. 

"ApoL1 high-risk genotypes are associated with kidney disease in African Americans, but little information exists on recipients of donor organs from individuals with these genotypes," said Dr. Astor.