On October 23, Elizabeth Myles, National Executive Director of The Kidney Foundation of Canada, presented the Cardiometabolic Axis researcher with this prestigious award at a ceremony attended by colleagues, family and friends.

She highlighted the discoveries he has made throughout his career and the importance of recognizing the contribution of basic science to improving patients’ quality of life.

“I am both surprised and deeply grateful for this recognition. It highlights the many years of hard work my team and I have dedicated to kidney research,” John Chan said.

“If you ask me what The Kidney Foundation means to me, I would say it has provided the invaluable support needed to make significant strides in kidney research. The Foundation has always supported the initiation of new research projects, allowing researchers like myself to discover new solutions for kidney disease. For that, I would like to extend my deepest thanks.”

Currently, John Chan's team is studying how a protein called sodium-glucose cotransporter 2 (SGLT2) affects the parts of the kidney involved in absorbing nutrients and removing waste from blood.

Overactivation of SGLT2 by the kidney renin-angiotensin system leads to hyperglycemia (high blood sugar), a condition that can rapidly become serious. SGLT2 inhibitors, drugs which act on these proteins, represent a new class of medications being used in kidney disease.

“I’d like to congratulate John Chan on this well-deserved award which celebrates a remarkable and impactful research career. He is being recognized for taking on key leadership and mentorship roles in kidney research nationally and internationally,” said Dr. Vincent Poitout, CHUM Research and Innovation Director.

“Over the past decade, he and his team have demonstrated that overactivation of the renin-angiotensin system leads to kidney damage and the progression of diabetes. This breakthrough demonstrates the importance of basic science in understanding the disease and developing new treatments for patients. We are honoured to have him on our research team.”

Source: The Kidney Foundation of Canada