Scientists in Edinburgh are planning a clinical trial of licensed drugs in the prevention of chronic kidney disease (CKD) following acute kidney injury (AKI), after uncovering a new mechanism linking the pathology of one with the other. It has only recently been recognized that AKI is linked to CKD and cardiovascular disease, and to date the molecular pathways that control the transition are not well-mapped. As a result, there are no therapies for preventing acute injury progressing to chronic disease.