The Apollo University Alumna Co-Authors Kidney Research Published in Science Advances

Chittoor, Andhra Pradesh | 15 October 2026

The Apollo University Alumna Sowmya Badina Co-Authors Kidney Research in Science Advances 

The Apollo University, Chittoor, celebrates Ms. Sowmya Badina, an alumna of its M.Sc. Health Informatics and Analytics programme, for co-authoring the research paper "The Landscape of Allele-Specific Expression in Human Kidneys", published in Science Advances on 2 October 2026. The achievement reflects the University's commitment to nurturing future-ready researchers through international academic collaborations.

At a glance

• Who: Ms. Sowmya Badina, alumna, M.Sc. Health Informatics and Analytics, The Apollo University
• What: Co-author of "The Landscape of Allele-Specific Expression in Human Kidneys"
• Published in: Science Advances, volume 12, issue 40, 2 October 2026
• Mentor: Dr. Ana C. Onuchic-Whitford, Brigham and Women's Hospital, a teaching hospital of Harvard Medical School, USA
• Focus: Artificial intelligence and health data science applied to kidney disease

Global exposure, meaningful scientific impact

Ms. Badina completed her dissertation research in Artificial Intelligence and Health Data Science, focusing on kidney disease, under the mentorship of Dr. Ana C. Onuchic-Whitford of Brigham and Women's Hospital, a teaching hospital of Harvard Medical School, USA. This international research experience enabled her to contribute to a collaborative investigation at the intersection of genomics, computational science and healthcare analytics. In the paper's author contributions, she is credited with investigation and with reviewing and editing the manuscript.

The M.Sc. Health Informatics and Analytics programme is built around this kind of exposure. The University has an MoU with Brigham and Women's Hospital, Harvard Medical School, and students can take up clinical data science research projects there.

What the study looked at

Most genes come in two copies, one from each parent. Sometimes one copy is used more than the other, which is called allele-specific expression (ASE). The study explored ASE across human kidney tissue, comparing the glomeruli, the kidney's filtering units, with the tubulointerstitium, the tissue around them, in patients with proteinuric kidney disease, where too much protein passes into the urine.

In the study cohort, higher allele-specific expression in the glomeruli, relative to the tubulointerstitium, was associated with better kidney disease outcomes. The authors suggest this reflects an active, protective response in the kidney's filtering tissue rather than damage. These insights may help advance understanding of the molecular mechanisms underlying kidney disease and inform future research. The findings show an association; they do not by themselves establish a new treatment.

A milestone for The Apollo University

This accomplishment shows how international research partnerships can turn student learning into meaningful scientific contributions. It reflects the growing research aspirations of The Apollo University and its Department of Biomedical Sciences.

Leadership congratulates Ms. Badina

The achievement was appreciated by Dr. T. Ravi Raju, Pro-Chancellor; Prof. (Dr.) Nitin M. Nagarkar, Vice Chancellor; Prof. Alfred J. Augustine, Pro Vice Chancellor; Sri S. Anil Kumar, Registrar; Prof. Ramesh S. Ve, Dean, School of Health Sciences; and Prof. R. Satyanarayana, Head, Department of Biomedical Sciences.

The University leadership congratulated Ms. Badina and encouraged students and faculty to pursue interdisciplinary research with global relevance.

From a student dissertation to an international research contribution, her journey reflects the power of mentorship, collaboration and research-driven education at The Apollo University.

About The Apollo University

The Apollo University, Chittoor, brings together healthcare, technology and management education. It offers programmes through the School of Technology, the School of Health Sciences, the School of Management and the Apollo Institute of Pharmaceutical Sciences.

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