An internationally respected researcher, he studies acute kidney injury with the goal of developing strategies to prevent or treat kidney injuries that can be caused by heart failure, cardiac surgery, toxins, and contrast agents administered for diagnostic tests.
His current research focuses on cellular strategies to prevent or treat injuries to the kidney that can be caused by heart failure, cardiac surgery, toxins, and contrast agents administered for diagnostic tests.
His research aims to understand how a cell’s shape, its physiology and its motility are affected by signals and injuries that change the organization of actin. A major focus is the role of rho family GTPase signaling and regulation of actin binding proteins.
Atkinson also is a co-founder of INphoton, a life sciences start-up company established in 2005.
