Professor Maria Grazia De Angelis and her team at the University of Edinburgh have been awarded a £180,000 Stoneygate grant to explore a new approach to dialysis technology.
Current dialysis equipment is often large, complex and relatively unchanged from earlier generations of technology. To address this, the team is using artificial intelligence (AI) and machine learning to identify and predict which filtration materials could work best in smaller, more compact dialysis devices.
Professor Maria Grazia De Angelis said:
“Many patients rely on dialysis when their kidneys fail but current equipment is bulky and largely unchanged since it was first introduced. This Kidney Research UK-Stoneygate grant will allow us to take a look at new dialysis machines by using AI to support the development of smaller, more portable devices.”
What could this mean for kidney patients?
Smaller and more portable dialysis machines could make home treatment more accessible and flexible for many patients. In the longer term, advances in artificial kidney technology could help reduce the restrictions associated with traditional dialysis schedules while potentially improving safety, comfort and overall quality of life.