Robert Bronstein, a faculty research investigator in the Division of Nephrology and Hypertension at Stony Brook University's Renaissance School of Medicine, has received a grant from KidneyCure to support his work on kidney disease. Bronstein is among 23 early career researchers across the country to be selected for a 2025 award from KidneyCure, and one of only nine chosen under the Transition to Independence Grants Program. This program is designed to help young investigators establish independent research careers.
KidneyCure described these grantees as future leaders in nephrology research “who are making discoveries that will improve the lives of people with kidney diseases.”
Bronstein’s research focuses on diseases affecting the kidney glomerulus, which is the organ's main filtration unit. Damage to this part can reduce kidney function and may eventually result in end-stage kidney disease.
“Overall, our work aims to understand the different cellular players that make up this filtration unit in the kidney glomerulus and how they are adversely affected during instances of pathology, which we hope will lead to the development of novel therapeutic approaches that will preserve kidney function and quality of life,” Bronstein said.
He noted that recent studies have identified a role for proteins in the AP-1 transcription factor complex within the kidney, particularly in how glomerular parietal epithelial cells contribute to crescentic glomerulonephritis. Bronstein believes this funding will allow further investigation into how AP-1 may regulate parietal epithelial cell dynamics in human diseases such as focal segmental glomerulosclerosis.
The KidneyCure grant provides $200,000 over two years (July 2025 – June 2027) for Bronstein’s research. He conducts his work at the Mallipattu Lab, where he has been since 2020.