Roy receives U.S. Presidential Volunteer Service Award

Shuvo Roy, PhD, has been awarded the U.S. Presidential Volunteer Service Award, Gold Level, for his work as director of The Kidney Project on the development of an implantable bioartificial kidney.

The award acknowledges individuals who have made exceptional contributions to serving the public good. The American Association of Kidney Patients, a national patient advocacy organization, nominated Roy for the honor, along with other researchers, volunteers, and advocates who have worked tirelessly to bring better treatment options to kidney patients.

“I am deeply honored to receive this recognition on behalf of kidney patients who have inspired our mission,” said Roy. “It also propels us further towards our goal of creating the bioartificial kidney, which will restore the freedom, health, and independence of kidney patients.”

Roy is a faculty member in the Department of Bioengineering and Therapeutic Sciences, a joint department of the UCSF Schools of Pharmacy and Medicine.

The Kidney Project’s potentially game-changing technology aims to fully mimic kidney function in patients with end-stage kidney disease. Last year the project reached a milestone when a scaled-down version of the device successfully operated in an animal model, powered by blood-pressure alone.

The current standard of care for kidney disease patients is dialysis, which entails routine and prolonged visits to dialysis clinics. The bioartificial kidney promises to restore patients’ kidney function and quality of life without such frequent medical care. The device would also serve as a better option than a kidney transplant, which requires lifelong use of immunosuppressant drugs.