Dr. Sands’ research is directed at understanding the physiology of urea transport proteins, the renal inner medulla, and the urine concentrating mechanism.  Current research projects are focused on defining the molecular physiology of urea transporters since urea transport is a key component in the urine concentrating mechanism.  These studies use rat and mouse models of abnormal concentrating and diluting ability, including genetically engineered mice.  Dr. Sands uses a combination of isolated perfused tubule studies to measure urea transport, antibodies to measure changes in the amount, location, phosphorylation, or localization of the urea transport proteins, and Northern analysis and real-time PCR to measure changes in mRNA, and surface biotinylation and confocal microscopy to measure changes in the subcellular localization of urea transporters.