![Irina Grigorieva](https://profiles-cardiff.imgix.net/attachments/8958?w=200&h=200&auto=format&crop=faces&fit=crop&q=90")
Dr Irina Grigorieva
- Available for postgraduate supervision
Teams and roles for Irina Grigorieva
Research Fellow
Overview
My research addresses how tissue-resident mesenchymal stromal cells shape kidney development, growth and responses to injury. I aim to define their microenvironment-specific molecular programmes and cellular interactions that determine whether the kidney undergoes adaptive repair or progresses to fibrosis.
Using single-cell omics and spatial transcriptomics across >4M kidney cells, we have recently generated high-resolution stromal cell atlases spanning kidney growth, health and disease. These datasets reveal molecularly distinct stromal phenotypes, rare subsets and dynamic cell states linked to protective or maladaptive repair. I now leverage these resources to dissect the mechanisms and signalling networks that drive divergent outcomes, integrating in vitro, in vivo and kidney organoid models.
I am funded by a Kidney Research UK Iris Bruton Fellowship to define protective stromal cell properties that can be harnessed therapeutically to promote kidney repair and improve outcomes for people living with kidney disease: https://www.kidneyresearchuk.org/2025/06/04/can-we-make-the-switch-from-kidney-damage-to-repair/
Publication
2026
- Roy, S. et al., 2026. Hyaluronan regulates vascular smooth muscle cell osteogenic differentiation and vascular calcification. Biomolecules 16 (5) 729. (10.3390/biom16050729)
2024
- Lu, Y. et al. 2024. Sex-specific proximal tubular cell differentiation pathways identified by single-nucleus RNA sequencing. Scientific Reports 14 (1) 24041. (10.1038/s41598-024-73102-7)
- Brown, C. V. M. et al. 2024. Protective effect of ischaemic preconditioning on acute and chronic renal damage following ischaemia reperfusion injury: characterisation of fibrosis development after inflammation resolution. International Journal of Clinical and Experimental Pathology 17 (4), pp.151-164. (10.62347/MFJG1164)
2023
- Grigorieva, I. et al. 2023. Hyaluronan in kidney fibrosis. In: Passi, A. ed. Hyaluronan: Structure, Biology and Biotechnology. Vol. 14, Biology of Extracellular Matrix Springer. , pp.77-97. (10.1007/978-3-031-30300-5_5)
2021
- Lu, Y. et al. 2021. Single-nucleus RNA sequencing identifies new classes of proximal tubular epithelial cells in kidney fibrosis. Journal of the American Society of Nephrology 32 (10), pp.2501-2516. (10.1681/ASN.2020081143)
- Woods, E. L. et al. 2021. CD147 mediates the CD44s-dependent differentiation of myofibroblasts driven by transforming growth factor-β1. Journal of Biological Chemistry 297 (3) 100987. (10.1016/j.jbc.2021.100987)
- Lines, K. E. et al., 2021. Hypoxia stimulates angiogenesis and a metabolic switch in human parathyroid adenoma cells. Endocrine Oncology 1 (1), pp.23-32. (10.1530/EO-21-0014)
2020
- Gaynor, K. U. et al., 2020. Studies of mice deleted for Sox3 and uc482: relevance to X-linked hypoparathyroidism. Endocrine Connections 9 (2), pp.173-186. (10.1530/EC-19-0478)
2019
- Grigorieva, I. V. et al. 2019. A novel role for GATA3 in mesangial cells in glomerular development and injury. Journal of the American Society of Nephrology 30 (9), pp.1641-1658. (10.1681/ASN.2018111143)
2013
- Gaynor, K. U. et al., 2013. GATA3 mutations found in breast cancers may be associated with aberrant nuclear localization, reduced transactivation and cell invasiveness. Hormones and Cancer 4 (3), pp.123-139. (10.1007/s12672-013-0138-x)
2011
- Grigorieva, I. V. and Thakker, R. V. 2011. Transcription factors in parathyroid development: lessons from hypoparathyroid disorders. Annals of the New York Academy of Sciences 1237 (1), pp.24-38. (10.1111/j.1749-6632.2011.06221.x)
2010
- Grigorieva, I. V. et al. 2010. Gata3-deficient mice develop parathyroid abnormalities due to dysregulation of the parathyroid-specific transcription factor Gcm2. Journal of Clinical Investigation 120 (6), pp.2144-2155. (10.1172/JCI42021)
- Bowl, M. R. et al., 2010. Identification and characterization of novel parathyroid-specific transcription factor Glial Cells Missing Homolog B (GCMB) mutations in eight families with autosomal recessive hypoparathyroidism. Human Molecular Genetics 19 (10), pp.2028-2038. (10.1093/hmg/ddq084)
2009
- Gaynor, K. U. et al., 2009. A missense GATA3 mutation, Thr272Ile, causes the hypoparathyroidism, deafness, and renal dysplasia syndrome. Journal of Clinical Endocrinology and Metabolism 94 (10), pp.3897-3904. (10.1210/jc.2009-0717)
2007
- Ali, A. et al., 2007. Functional characterization of GATA3 mutations causing the hypoparathyroidism-deafness-renal (HDR) dysplasia syndrome: insight into mechanisms of DNA binding by the GATA3 transcription factor. Human Molecular Genetics 16 (3), pp.265-275. (10.1093/hmg/ddl454)
Articles
- Roy, S. et al., 2026. Hyaluronan regulates vascular smooth muscle cell osteogenic differentiation and vascular calcification. Biomolecules 16 (5) 729. (10.3390/biom16050729)
- Lu, Y. et al. 2024. Sex-specific proximal tubular cell differentiation pathways identified by single-nucleus RNA sequencing. Scientific Reports 14 (1) 24041. (10.1038/s41598-024-73102-7)
- Brown, C. V. M. et al. 2024. Protective effect of ischaemic preconditioning on acute and chronic renal damage following ischaemia reperfusion injury: characterisation of fibrosis development after inflammation resolution. International Journal of Clinical and Experimental Pathology 17 (4), pp.151-164. (10.62347/MFJG1164)
- Lu, Y. et al. 2021. Single-nucleus RNA sequencing identifies new classes of proximal tubular epithelial cells in kidney fibrosis. Journal of the American Society of Nephrology 32 (10), pp.2501-2516. (10.1681/ASN.2020081143)
- Woods, E. L. et al. 2021. CD147 mediates the CD44s-dependent differentiation of myofibroblasts driven by transforming growth factor-β1. Journal of Biological Chemistry 297 (3) 100987. (10.1016/j.jbc.2021.100987)
- Lines, K. E. et al., 2021. Hypoxia stimulates angiogenesis and a metabolic switch in human parathyroid adenoma cells. Endocrine Oncology 1 (1), pp.23-32. (10.1530/EO-21-0014)
- Gaynor, K. U. et al., 2020. Studies of mice deleted for Sox3 and uc482: relevance to X-linked hypoparathyroidism. Endocrine Connections 9 (2), pp.173-186. (10.1530/EC-19-0478)
- Grigorieva, I. V. et al. 2019. A novel role for GATA3 in mesangial cells in glomerular development and injury. Journal of the American Society of Nephrology 30 (9), pp.1641-1658. (10.1681/ASN.2018111143)
- Gaynor, K. U. et al., 2013. GATA3 mutations found in breast cancers may be associated with aberrant nuclear localization, reduced transactivation and cell invasiveness. Hormones and Cancer 4 (3), pp.123-139. (10.1007/s12672-013-0138-x)
- Grigorieva, I. V. and Thakker, R. V. 2011. Transcription factors in parathyroid development: lessons from hypoparathyroid disorders. Annals of the New York Academy of Sciences 1237 (1), pp.24-38. (10.1111/j.1749-6632.2011.06221.x)
- Grigorieva, I. V. et al. 2010. Gata3-deficient mice develop parathyroid abnormalities due to dysregulation of the parathyroid-specific transcription factor Gcm2. Journal of Clinical Investigation 120 (6), pp.2144-2155. (10.1172/JCI42021)
- Bowl, M. R. et al., 2010. Identification and characterization of novel parathyroid-specific transcription factor Glial Cells Missing Homolog B (GCMB) mutations in eight families with autosomal recessive hypoparathyroidism. Human Molecular Genetics 19 (10), pp.2028-2038. (10.1093/hmg/ddq084)
- Gaynor, K. U. et al., 2009. A missense GATA3 mutation, Thr272Ile, causes the hypoparathyroidism, deafness, and renal dysplasia syndrome. Journal of Clinical Endocrinology and Metabolism 94 (10), pp.3897-3904. (10.1210/jc.2009-0717)
- Ali, A. et al., 2007. Functional characterization of GATA3 mutations causing the hypoparathyroidism-deafness-renal (HDR) dysplasia syndrome: insight into mechanisms of DNA binding by the GATA3 transcription factor. Human Molecular Genetics 16 (3), pp.265-275. (10.1093/hmg/ddl454)
Book sections
- Grigorieva, I. et al. 2023. Hyaluronan in kidney fibrosis. In: Passi, A. ed. Hyaluronan: Structure, Biology and Biotechnology. Vol. 14, Biology of Extracellular Matrix Springer. , pp.77-97. (10.1007/978-3-031-30300-5_5)
Teaching
Module contributor: Tissue Engineering and Regenerative Medicine (MSc)
Biography
Education
D.Phil.
University of Oxford (Wolfson College), Academic Endocrine Unit, Radcliffe Department of Medicine
BSc (Hons)
Biochemistry, Imperial College London
Fellowships
2025 – Kidney Research UK Fellowship, Cardiff University
2015 – Marie Curie Fellowship, Medical University of Vienna, Austria
2010 – Society for Endocrinology Fellowship, University of Georgia, USA
Post-doctoral academic positions
Division of Infection and Immunity, School of Medicine, Cardiff University, UK
Renal Group, Medical University of Vienna, Austria
Academic Endocrine Unit, Radcliffe Department of Medicine, University of Oxford, UK