Emerging Kidney Technologies: Kidney-on-a-Chip, Genomics, and 3D Bioprinting (Published)
Kidney diseases remain a major global health challenge affecting millions of people worldwide. Contemporary kidney care is evolving through advances in dialysis delivery, microphysiological modeling, genomics, bioengineering, and digital support systems. This review examines current hemodialysis and hemodiafiltration technology, clarifies that the existing dialyser already functions as an artificial kidney in a limited extracorporeal sense, and distinguishes it from emerging implantable or bioartificial systems intended to provide more continuous and biologically integrated support. Kidney-on-a-chip platforms are increasingly useful for segment-specific physiology, transporter studies, disease modeling, and nephrotoxicity assessment. Genomic testing is becoming more relevant for diagnosis, prognostic stratification, family screening, and precision-nephrology pathways in inherited disorders involving genes such as PKD1, PKD2, PKHD1, and COL4A3-5. Telemedicine and home dialysis are established models of care rather than entirely new technologies, whereas portable and wearable dialysis remain largely investigational. Future progress in kidney care will depend on combining scientific innovation with affordability, implementation science, equitable access, and careful translational validation.
Keywords: Kidney technology, artificial kidney, dialysis innovation, digital health in kidney care, kidney-on-a-chip, nephrology