Lifecycle Malta Foundation has once more made a donation of €25,000 to the University of Malta Research Trust (RIDT) to be utilised for the Kidney Research Programme.  The funds raised have been collected during the preparation of the Foster Clark’s Lifecycle Challenge, currently taking place in Kenya and Tanzania.

Parliamentary Secretariat for Youth, Sport and Voluntary Organisations head, Ryan Borg, was present for the donation that took place at the rector’s office in the Msida Campus.

Mr Borg said that this was a clear example of solidarity that emerged from sports. He thanked Lifecycle for their hard work and looked forward to working together.

University rector, Alfred Vella, received the donation as chairman of RIDT. He thanked Lifecycle Malta Foundation for their generosity and said this was a clear example of community engagement in support of medical research at the University.

The Lifecycle Kidney Research Programme was set up following a donation of €70,000 by the Lifecycle Malta Foundation to University in 2014.

Since then, much ground has been covered. A kidney disease biobank was established and the research projection of the genetics of congenital kidney disease in Maltese children was launched with the aim of improving the quality of life of patients.  Research is also being carried out on adult diabetic nephropathy, which refers to the kidney disorders secondary to type 2 diabetes, a common disease and a common complication.

The funds donated by the foundation will be used to further this research with the specific objectives of establishing a high quality kidney disease DNA and other samples to serve as tools for investigation, characterising the genetics underlying congenital kidney disease in children and developing tools for diagnosis in families and uncovering the genetics and progression of Diabetic Nephropathy in adults.