Welcome to Bjornstad Lab

DKD is the leading cause of kidney failure in the U.S. and in Colorado, and the number of people affected have quadrupled over the past 30 years, causing early death. Current medical treatments are only partially protective in patients with T1D and T2D, and T2D and DKD are now rising in youth due to the obesity epidemic. Early in the course of DKD, the filtration elements of the kidneys work excessively, called hyperfiltration, which is common in youth with T1D and T2D. Our research supports strong associations between insulin resistance, which is found in T1D and T2D, and hyperfiltration. We postulate based on our existing research that hyperfiltration increases the kidney’s oxygen and energy needs....