Chronic kidney disease is on the rise worldwide. It is often triggered by repeated bouts of acute kidney injury (AKI). Ferroptosis – a form of cell death caused by iron-dependent damage to fatty acids in the cell membrane – plays a key role here. Women appear to have better natural protection against AKI, possibly due to estrogen-driven changes in membrane lipid metabolism and specifically through a reduction in certain special ether lipids. The exact mechanisms behind this protection remain unclear however. Wulf Tonnus is investigating how hormone-driven changes in lipid metabolism influence the kidney’s vulnerability to ferroptosis. In the long term, the goal is to develop new sex-specific treatments for both acute and chronic kidney diseases.