Smoyer Lab

The Smoyer Lab's research is focused on three main themes:

  1. Exploring the molecular mechanisms regulating podocyte injury and recovery during nephrotic syndrome (NS), including molecular predictors and regulators of steroid resistance in NS
  2. Manipulation of podocyte nuclear receptors as a novel approach to reduce podocyte injury and proteinuria in NS
  3. Exploring the role of albumin-bound molecules and/or albumin modifications in the development and progression of NS, including approaches to “detoxify” albumin as potential future therapies for this disease.

Nephrotic syndrome is among the most common kidney diseases seen in children, yet there are still no drugs approved by the FDA as safe and effective to treat this disease.  In addition, while glucocorticoids have been the mainstay of therapy for NS for the last 60 years, ~50% of adults and 20% of children either present with or develop steroid resistance.   Given the high degree of toxicity associated with glucocorticoid use, there is a high unmet medical need for the development of more effective and less toxic therapies for NS.

Lab Staff

Nationwide Children's Hospital Medical Professional

William E. Smoyer, MD
Vice President and Director
William.Smoyer@NationwideChildrens.org 

William E. Smoyer, MD, serves as Vice President for Clinical and Translational Research at the Research Institute at Nationwide Children’s Hospital (NCH) in Columbus, Ohio, and as Director of the NCH Center for Clinical and Translational Research.  He is also a Professor of Pediatrics at The Ohio State University and serves as the Co-PI for the OSU Center for Clinical and Translational Sciences (CCTS), representing the Child Health component of the CCTS.  For the past 28 years, Dr. Smoyer has focused his career on basic, clinical, and translational research to improve our understanding of the molecular regulation of podocyte injury during nephrotic syndrome, and to develop more effective and safer novel treatments for childhood nephrotic syndrome.

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Julie A. Dougherty, PhD
Research Scientist
Julie.Dougherty@NationwideChildrens.org

Julie A. Dougherty received her PhD in Biomedical Research from The Ohio State University while focusing on RNA regulation and molecular biology. Her post-doctoral experience centered on regenerative therapy for cardiovascular disease by investigating the efficacy of a 3D bioengineered hiPSC-derived cardiac patch for transplantation after myocardial infarction in rodent models. As a Research Scientist in Dr. Smoyer’s lab she will direct her passion for rigorous basic research to clinical and translational studies that will benefit pediatric nephrology patients.