Ashley R. Jackson, PhD

2026 Carl W. Gottschalk Research Scholar Grant

Institution: Nationwide Children's Hospital

Project Title: Do Urothelial Mechanoreceptors Trigger Nephroprotective Adaptations?

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

My research focuses on how the kidney senses urinary tract obstruction and activates protective urothelial remodeling programs that may be harnessed to prevent obstructive kidney injury.

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

This project will define how PIEZO mechanoreceptors help the renal urothelium respond to urinary tract obstruction. Specifically, we will test whether PIEZO1 promotes urothelial differentiation through PPARγ and whether PIEZO2 regulates KRT5+ urothelial progenitor cells, using mouse models and kidney urothelium-derived organoids.

What inspired you to focus your research in this area?

I was inspired by the unmet clinical need for therapies for children with urinary tract obstruction. My prior work showed that the renal urothelium is not simply a passive barrier, but instead undergoes adaptive remodeling that can limit kidney injury.

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

I hope this work will lead to new therapies that protect the kidney during urinary tract obstruction. Ultimately, the goal is to move beyond surgical correction alone and develop treatments that bolster renal urothelium and mitigate obstructive nephropathy.

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 publish these findings and generate the data needed for a successful R01. In five years, I aim to lead an independently funded research program defining how the urinary tract senses and adapts to injury. In ten years, I hope to translate my discoveries and strengthen the bridge between basic urothelial biology and therapeutic development.

What has surprised you most about your career?

What has surprised me most is how much resilience shapes a scientific career. I competed in the Women's College Softball World Series tournament three consecutive years, which taught me how to perform under pressure, recover from high-stakes losses, and return stronger. Those same skills are essential in science, where rejections require that you sharpen your ideas, strengthen your work, and become more competitive for the next opportunity.

What are the major challenges facing nephrology research today?

A major challenge is the lack of disease-modifying therapies for many pediatric kidney disorders, along with the funding and translational barriers that slow the path from mechanistic discovery to safe interventions for children.

In one sentence, please describe the importance of having grant funding available through KidneyCure.

KidneyCure funding is essential because it supports high-impact research at a pivotal career stage, helping investigators establish independent research programs and move discoveries closer to improving patients' lives.

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

Apply with a project that clearly reflects your independent scientific vision and explain how the award will move you toward the next stage of your career. KidneyCure funding can provide both resources and external validation at a pivotal transition point.

Something you may not know about me is…

I like fixing things and taking on DIY projects. Those skills translate surprisingly well to the lab, where experiments often require building, troubleshooting, and figuring out how things work.

In my free time, I like to…

coach and cheer my kids on in all the things they enjoy.