Professor Albert CM Ong

MA, DM, FRCP, FAoP, FERA

Clinical Medicine, School of Medicine and Population Health

Professor of Renal Medicine

Professor Albert Ong
Professor Albert Ong
Profile picture of Professor Albert Ong
a.ong@sheffield.ac.uk
+44 114 215 9542
The Medical School

Full contact details

Professor Albert CM Ong
Clinical Medicine, School of Medicine and Population Health
The Medical School
Beech Hill Road
Sheffield
S10 2RX
Profile

For enquiries please contact - SMPH-West-Operational@sheffield.ac.uk

Albert Ong is Professor of Renal Medicine at the University of Sheffield, UK. He studied medicine at the University of Oxford and trained as a clinician-scientist at University College London and Oxford. He held senior research fellowships from Kidney Research UK and the Wellcome Trust at Oxford and Sheffield. His scientific research focuses on the molecular basis of cyst formation, the genetic basis for disease variability and drug discovery in autosomal dominant polycystic kidney disease (ADPKD). His work has been recognised through national and international awards including the ISN Lillian Jean Kaplan International Prize. He founded and directs specialist services for people with ADPKD and other genetic kidney diseases at the Sheffield Kidney Institute. A key opinion leader, he continues to provide strategic advice and leadership in the kidney field. He currently serves as Co-Director of the MRC-NIHR UK Renal Ciliopathies National Network (CILIAREN) and as a member of the ERA Council.

Research interests

ADPKD is the most common genetic disease affecting the kidney with an estimated prevalence of 1 in 1000. It is the fourth most common cause of kidney failure globally and affects around 10% of people on kidney replacement therapy. The mechanisms underlying cyst formation have been intensely studied but remain incompletely understood. The process of cyst formation can be broadly divided into two phases ie cyst initiation and cyst expansion. Variants in two genes, PKD1 and PKD2, account for over 90% of all cases of ADPKD.

The Ong lab aims to develop novel therapies to prevent or inhibit cyst formation in ADPKD by studying the molecular basis underlying cyst initiation and cyst expansion. Our studies around cyst initiation have mainly focussed on investigating the functions of PKD1, PKD2 and related genes or proteins within the PKD1/Polycystin1 network. Work around cyst expansion seeks to elucidate the role of non-coding RNAs and RNA metabolism in disease progression. The lab employs human-derived cellular models, model organisms, experimental models, computational modelling, clinical and genetic data from deeply phenotyped cohorts to study disease mechanisms with a primary focus on clinical translation.

Projects:

  1. Polycystin regulation of actin structure and dynamics through compartmentalised GTPase signalling
  2. Non-coding RNAs as biomarkers of disease activity and as therapeutic targets
  3. RNA-binding proteins as key mediators of disease initiation and progression in ADPKD
  4. Complex genetics underlying very-early onset PKD
Publications

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Journal articles

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Research group
  • Dr Andrew Streets
  • Dr Manoj Valluru
  • Dr Rebecca Walker
  • Dr Joshua Griffiths
  • Dr Matthew Gittus
  • Dr Zhu Zhou
  • Mr Patryk Zarecki
  • Ms Monica Neilan
  • Mr Carl Wright
Teaching activities

I have had a long-standing commitment to postgraduate nephrology training especially to develop clinical and non-clinical academics in renal science and in enhancing nephrology training for young nephrologists for the developing ‘two-thirds’ world.

I was appointed Deputy Director for Clinical Academic Training at Sheffield (2020-2023), having served as Academic Programme Director for Nephrology (2013-2022). I was a member of the ISN Fellowship Committee (2019-2023), the Scientific Advisory Board of the ERA (2016-2022) and was a member of the UK Renal Association Executive committee as Chair of the International Committee (2009-2013).

Professional activities and memberships

National and International Committees

  • European Renal Association – Council member
  • European Renal Association - Scientific Program Chair 61st ERA Congress 2024
  • MRC-NIHR Renal Ciliopathies National Network – Co-Director
  • CYSTic Consortium – Chief investigator
  • ADPKD in Europe Consortium - Co-chair
  • European ADPKD Forum – Faculty member

Editorial Boards

  • Theme Editor, Nephrology Dialysis Transplantation
  • Faculty of 1000 Medicine, Nephrology faculty

Advisory Boards

  • Mayo Translational PKD Centre, Mayo Clinic, Rochester - External Faculty
  • Renal Genomic England Clinical Interpretation Partnership (GeCIP) – Co-chair for Cystic Diseases (2017-2023)
  • National Institute for Clinical Excellence (NICE) Technology Appraisal of Tolvaptan for ADPKD - Nominated Clinical Expert (2013-2015)

National and International Guidelines

  • UK Kidney Association Working Group for Tolvaptan in ADPKD – Chair
  • Kidney Diseases Improving Global Outcomes (KDIGO) ADPKD Guideline Initiative – Working group and Theme lead
  • Standardised Outcomes in Nephrology–PKD (SONG-PKD) – Steering committee