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The podocyte forms the outer layer of the filtration barrier in the glomerulus to prevent albumin leakage. Podocyte damage leads to focal segmental glomerulosclerosis (FSGS), a leading cause of chronic kidney disease. The cause of the majority of FSGS cases is unknown and referred to as sporadic FSGS. Genetic studies have identified genes as monogenic causes of FSGS in patients with a strong family history, but these cases account for only a small proportion of the FSGS population. Whether genetic susceptibility contributes to sporadic FSGS and which cellular process in the podocyte initiates the pathogenesis of FSGS are important questions that remain to be elucidated. To answer these questions, my research followed two different lines of inquiry. I performed a genetic analysis of both familial and sporadic FSGS patients, and I investigated the role of the actin cytoskeleton in podocytes. Based on …