Swiatecka-Urban, Agnieszka
Primary Appointment
Professor, Pediatrics: Nephrology
Education
- MD, Medicine, Academia Medica Gedanensis
Contact Information
Email: as6xx@virginia.edu
Website: https://www.pediatrics.pitt.edu/nephrology/research/urban-lab
Research Disciplines
Biochemistry, Bioinformatics and Genomics, Cell and Developmental Biology, Computational Biology, Epigenetics, Genetics, Immunology, Molecular and Cellular Physiology, Molecular Biology, Molecular Pharmacology, Physiology
Research Interests
Regulation of cell-surface stability and intracellular trafficking of membrane proteins in epithelial cells
Research Description
Agnieszka Swiatecka-Urban studied the regulation of cell-surface stability and intracellular trafficking of membrane proteins in epithelial cells. One focus of her research activity has been the characterization of mechanisms and pathways that regulate the cystic fibrosis transmembrane conductance regulator (CFTR) in order to improve treatment strategies for cystic fibrosis (CF). Swiatecka-Urban has also used her expertise to address a significant unmet need of patients with nephrotic syndrome, a severe form of kidney disease responsible for 20% of pediatric kidney failure. She has been studying the role of protein-protein interactions in the dynamic regulation of nephrin in the podocyte slit diaphragm—an intercellular junction, which is compromised in nephrotic syndrome. Swiatecka-Urban’s work on both nephrin and CFTR has resulted in several successful research awards. Her research was supported by an NIH R56 Award, an NIH P30 Pilot and Feasibility Sub-award, an NIH Cooperative Agreement Sub-award, and an American Heart Association grant. Finally, she led the University of Pittsburgh site for the CureGlomerulopathy (CureGN) network cohort study–a multicenter, prospective cohort observational study for patients with nephrotic syndrome.