The global burden of acute and chronic kidney disease is a significant public health problem. New techniques for identifying pathophysiologically relevant metabolites in biological samples are needed. The main goal of this project is to determine if vibrational spectroscopy can add technical/medical value to the diagnosis of kidney diseases and their complications. One area of interest is to evaluate the effect of a combination of deglycating enzymes in mice and patients with diabetic nephropathy using vibrational spectroscopy. This could lead to a better understanding of the effects of these enzymes on kidney function and the development of new treatments. Second, we will investigate the importance of extracellular vesicles in the plasma and urine of patients with diabetic nephropathy using RNA sequencing, proteomics, and vibrational spectroscopy. By analyzing these vesicles, we will look at novel biomarkers and aim to advance the understanding of molecular mechanisms. Third, the project will use an ambitious approach that integrates infrared spectroscopy, Raman spectroscopy/microscopy, and surface-enhanced Raman spectroscopy to identify and distinguish amyloidosis and lymphoma. Our goal is to test whether these spectroscopy techniques provide label-free, faster, and less expensive methods for identifying these diseases. Finally, we will investigate the potential of Raman spectroscopy and renal tubule epithelial cells as novel diagnostic and prognostic tools for AKI.