Eric W. Brunskill, Ph.D.

Responsibilities & Activities

As a Program Director for kidney and urology programs in the areas of developmental biology, regeneration, and aging, I am responsible for administering a grant portfolio on basic cellular, molecular, and genetics of normal development, maturation, and aging of the kidney and lower urinary tract and associated systems, including the role of the immune system, lymphatics and vasculature. I am also interested in studies that focus on the basic science of normal repair and the progression to maladaptive repair and regeneration of the kidney and organs of the lower urinary tract (bladder, prostate, etc.) and associated systems.

My research interests lie in studies that focus on:

• Understanding fundamental developmental mechanisms of the kidney and lower urinary tract, including how the vasculature, lymphatic and immune systems contribute to the formation of these organs.
• Using innovative and cutting-edge single-cell genomic technologies, bioinformatic analytical tools and stem cell-based approaches to decipher molecular aspects of development and disease mechanisms of the kidney and lower urinary tract organs.
• Tissue differentiation that leads to physiological, epigenetic or environmental changes that result in congenital abnormalities or alterations in physiological capacity.
• Uncovering the molecular mechanisms in response to cellular injury or aging, the transition from normal to maladaptive repair, and the regeneration processes that include re-establishment of the vasculature and the role of immune cells in these processes.

Committees & Working Groups

• NIDDK Data Science WG, Member
• NIH HuBMAP Integrated Data Analysis and Interpretation WG, Member
• Somatic Cell Genomic Engineering WG, Member
• Cellular Senescence and Senolytics WG, Member