Bernhard Dumoulin, MD

2025 Ben J. Lipps Research Fellowship Award

Institution: Renal-Electrolyte and Hypertension Division, Perelman School of Medicine, University of Pennsylvania

Project Title: Novel Approaches to Target B Cells in Chronic Kidney Disease

How would you sum up your overall research focus in one sentence?

My research focuses on identifying and targeting inflammatory microenvironments, particularly B cell–enriched niches, in chronic kidney disease using single-cell spatial transcriptomics and precision immunotherapies.

Provide a brief overview of the research you will conduct with help from the grant.

With support from the grant, I will evaluate B cell depletion strategies—including anti-CD20 antibody therapy and CD19-directed CAR T cells—in a mouse model of chronic kidney disease. I will assess kidney function, fibrosis, and spatial tissue reorganization using single-cell spatial transcriptomics to uncover how B cell removal alters disease-driving cellular microenvironments.

What inspired you to focus your research in this area?

While analyzing spatial transcriptomics data from CKD patients, I discovered a distinct B cell–enriched microenvironment associated with more rapid disease progression. This finding revealed a potentially targetable CKD subtype, motivating me to explore therapeutic strategies for these patients.

What impact do you hope your research will have on patients?

I hope this research will lay the groundwork for establishing B cell depletion as an effective treatment for patients with B cell–rich kidney inflammation, ultimately slowing disease progression and reducing the need for dialysis or transplantation.

What are your career goals at the end of the grant period? Five years out? Ten years out?

By the end of the grant period, my goal is to apply for a career development (K) award and secure a faculty position where I can lead an independent research program. In five years, I aim to establish a fully funded lab focused on immune mechanisms in kidney disease. And in 10 years I will have either developed new hobbies or hopefully a lab that is still fully funded.

What are the major challenges to beginning a career in nephrology research today?

Launching a career in nephrology research is challenged by limited funding opportunities, the complexity of integrating multidisciplinary approaches (such as immunology, computational biology, and therapeutic development), and the need for protected time and mentorship during the critical early stages of faculty development.

What advice would you give to others to encourage them to apply for this grant funding?

If you don't apply, you won't get it, and even if you don't get it, you will know better what you want to research on and why. There is really no downside.

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