Professor Dr. Tobias B. Huber, the inaugural President of the International Society of Glomerular Disease, has been awarded a highly competitive grant from the European Research Council (ERC) for his “Decode and Cure Primary Focal Segmental Glomerulosclerosis” (CureFSGS) research initiative aiming to identify different forms of FSGS and develop new treatment possibilities. Huber is University Professor, Chair of the Center of Internal Medicine, and Director of the Third Department of Medicine at the University of Hamburg, Germany, as well as the Founding Director of the Hamburg Center for Kidney Health. The ERC Advanced Grant, part of the European Union’s “Horizon Europe” program, is considered the most prestigious individual research funding award in Europe. It is designed to support outstanding researchers in pursuing ambitious, curiosity-driven projects that could lead to major scientific breakthroughs.
“CureFSGS will combine extensive biosample collections and cutting-edge analysis methods to enable the development of new gene-based therapy strategies for FSGS,” explained Professor Huber. The grant will support the project with 2.5 million euros over five years, with the research to take place at the highly regarded Hamburg Center for Kidney Health within the University Medical Center Hamburg-Eppendorf (UKE), one of Europe’s leading centers for glomerular disease research and patient care. Huber is no stranger to European Research Council support, having received an ERC Consolidator Grant in 2014 to support his earlier work in glomerular biology.
ISGD board member and NephCure CEO Joshua Tarnoff noted, “Dr. Huber is a contemporary luminary in the field of glomerular disease research. We congratulate him on being awarded this prestigious grant that reflects his determination to find cures for this complex and debilitating disease, as well as his passionate bench-to-bedside approach to helping patients worldwide.”
Professor Huber is one of the most-cited scientists in glomerular biology worldwide. He is a founding member of the International Podocyte Conference research group, an elected member of the German National Academy of Sciences (Leopoldina), the American Association of Physicians, the American Society of Clinical Investigation, and other societies. He has received numerous awards and honors recognizing his achievements as a global leader in glomerular disease research, including the Marilyn G. Farquhar Lifetime Research Achievement Award of the International Podocyte Conference and the Young Investigator Award of the American Society of Nephrology. Professor Huber became the first President of the International Society of Glomerular Disease upon the society’s establishment in 2022, and leads ISGD’s initiatives spanning over 1,000 members in 77 countries.
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