Christoph Licht

Biography

Dr. Christoph Licht accepted a position as Assistant Professor at the University of Toronto in 2006 and joined the Division of Nephrology at The Hospital for Sick Children as a staff physician and the SickKids Research Institute as an Associate Scientist. In addition, he was appointed Associate Member of the Institute of Medical Science Graduate Faculty at the University of Toronto. The nature of his research is translational and includes clinical and basic research. He established an international registry as well as clinical tests allowing for a comprehensive genetic and biochemical work-up of patients with complement-mediated renal diseases. In addition, Dr Licht established a research program focusing on the interface of complement and coagulation in platelets in HUS. In collaboration with Dr. Walter Kahr, a SickKids haematologist, he works on the morphological and functional characterization of the components of the complement system, especially complement Factor H (CFH), in platelets. These results may ultimately change our understanding of the pathophysiology of aHUS and may allow for the development of new treatment strategies not only for aHUS but also other, clot related diseases. Dr. Licht is member of the “European Pediatric Research Group for HUS” and associate member of the “European Working Party for the Genetics of Complement-Mediated Diseases”.

Research Interest

Dr Licht’s research focuses on complement-mediated renal diseases such as atypical haemolytic-uremic syndrome (aHUS) and membranoproliferative glomerulonephritis (MPGN).