How patterned cell biology shapes renal function and host health

In complex tissues, such as the kidney, diverse cell types co-exist in precise spatial arrays. Whilst each cell type plays specific biological roles within the organ, tissue physiology is underpinned by far more than the sum of its individual parts. Optimal tissue function relies on different cell types working together and communicating dynamically to influence each other's cell biology. However, our knowledge of the underlying molecular mechanisms remains in its infancy as research has largely relied on in vitro reductionist approaches that fail to capture tissue complexity. Crucially, my group recently harnessed the fruit fly kidney as a paradigm for dissecting how cell biology is spatially patterned in vivo to shape tissue function. Here, integrating Drosophila’s unrivalled experimental tractability with innovative technologies and clinical data, we will identify how different renal cell types strategically coordinate their molecular profiles in space and time, and how they work together to shape organ function and host health. We will also dissect why disruption of this cellular coordination (e.g. with age) could be a key driver of renal disease. Unravelling how precisely patterned cell biology plays fundamental roles within (and beyond) tissues will reveal new mechanisms to delay age-related disease and optimise transplant success.