Yale nephrologist Lloyd Cantley, MD, C.N.H. Long Professor of Medicine and Professor of Cellular and Molecular Physiology, has long had a scientific interest in polycystic kidney disease (PKD). Now he is taking this work to the next level. He is principal investigator of an $11.577 million study funded by the U.S. Department of Defense (DoD). The study, titled “Polycystic Kidney Disease: A Disorder of Glomerulotubular Synchronization,” brings together five senior investigators at Yale, all leaders in their respective fields, to develop effective therapies for PKD. “The most common form of PKD is autosomal dominant,” says Dr. Cantley. Autosomal dominant polycystic kidney disease (ADPKD) is an inherited disorder in which clusters of cysts develop in the kidneys, causing them to lose function over time. It is the fourth leading cause of renal failure in the U.S., affecting some 600,000 people annually. The photo here shows a polycystic kidney at left and a normal kidney at right.