Reliable Biomarker for Urolithiasis

Prof. Gohel's research journey started working for his MPhil at the HK Polytechnic on crystallization of salts of renal system and then moving to Biomineralization group at the Faculty of Medicine, HKU, to complete his PhD. The latter studies was the springboard to study various factors, biomarkers and pathological conditions that led to discovery of various urinary macromolecules that interplay with the minerals in the renal system. We were the first to report that the properties of one biomarker, hyaluronan from stone-former differed from Normal persons (J. Am. Soc. Nephrol., 10:S397-S403, 1999) which may have predisposed stone-formers. Subsequently, studies were conducted on various macromolecules within the milieu of urine and one candidate molecule were urinary glycosaminoglycans, which were successfully separated and characterized (Clin. Sci., 85:33-39, 1993).  The popularity of Chinese medicine by stone-patients was one area that his team looked into and revealed that there was some efficacy (mainly through diuretic effects)(Urol. Res., 35:365-372, 2006). The melamine crisis in children (and pets) in 2008 allowed his team and clinical collaborator (Prof. CF Ng, CUHK), to immediately study the effects of melamine in children through the established in-vitro crystallizer that was already established by his team (J. Urol., 187(4):1483-1490). The group is now looking at predicting renal stones from measuring various urinary biomarkers and their temporal changes preceding the stone initiation which is still elusive as the first nuclei is silent and painless until it grows and renal colic results!