The Nephrotic Syndrome Study Network (NEPTUNE) is an integrated group of academic medical centers, patient advocate organizations (NephCure Kidney International and the Halpin Foundation), and clinical research resources dedicated to advancing the understanding and treatment of Minimal Change Disease (MCD), Focal and Segmental Glomerulosclerosis (FSGS), and Membranous Nephropathy (MN). Arbor Research Collaborative for Health in partnership with the University of Michigan provides clinical, epidemiologic and biostatistical expertise along with data collection software and management.
NEPTUNE includes patients presenting with significant proteinuria. Adults and children are enrolled at the time of their kidney biopsies, and children who are recently diagnosed with nephrotic syndrome but who are not scheduled to have a kidney biopsy can also participate.
NEPTUNE is a part of the National Institutes of Health (NIH) Rare Disease Clinical Research Network (RDCRN), supported through a collaboration between the Office of Rare Diseases Research (ORDR), NCATS, and NIDDK. Additional funding and/or programmatic support for this project has also been provided by the University of Michigan, the NephCure Kidney International, and the Halpin Foundation.