Research

Our division has robust basic and clinical research programs in areas including polycystic kidney disease (Huang, Dai, Noureddine, and Harshman), genetics (Thomas), glomerular complement diseases (Jalal, Smith, and Nestor), acute kidney injury (Jalal and Griffin), electrolyte transport and electrophysiology (Huang, Cheng, and Nizar), tubular metabolism (Cheng), osmosensation/regulation (Huang), mineral metabolism (Huang) and neurological cardiovascular complications of CKD (Harshman, Jalal, and Huang), health services research in hypertension management (Jalal), central and renal blood pressure regulation (Huang, and Nizar), and models of obesity (Nizar). Multiple faculty lead or participate in clinical trials including FIGARO-DKD, DIALIZE, MAJESTY, NEUTRALIZE-AKI, among many others.

The division’s NIH T32 Training Grant for Kidney and Hypertension research is in its 30th year, which supports MD and PhD trainees in basic or clinical research related to kidney and hypertension in physiology and diseases. Selected MD fellows on the investigative training track will be considered for support by the division to earn a Master’s in Clinical and Translational Science during training.

Scholarly Training during Fellowship

Fellows are expected to demonstrate written evidence of scholarly activity by the end of their 2 years of fellowship training. The division is motivated to find or provide funding for fellows who are interested in more substantial research training and have a established history of training fellows into successful physician-scientist careers.

The divisional Renal Fellow Scholarship and Research Committee was created to provide fellows with a portfolio of research opportunities that meet the scholarly activity requirement of the program. The committee reviews all proposals submitted by the fellows, selects projects eligible for funding, and guides fellows through a reasonable timeline for successful completion. Individual faculty mentor also provides support and guidance in choosing and developing a project.

Examples of activities include case reports, in-depth literature reviews, chart reviews, poster presentations, quality improvement projects, and even clinical trials. Recent fellow activities include:

1. Thomas C, Freese M, Ounda A, Jetton J, Holida M, Noureddine L, Smith R. Initial experience from a renal genetics clinic demonstrates a distinct role in patient management. Genetics Medicine 22, 1025-1035 (2020).
2. Oo SZMWH, Freese ME, Holanda DG,Thomas CP. Spontaneous remission of genetic, apparent primary, FSGS presenting with nephrotic syndrome challenges traditional notions of primary FSGS.  Journal of Nephrology 2021, 34:255-258DOI: 10.1007/s40620-020-00837-7
3. Story MT, Sanders ML, Bashir A, Longo J, Abel S, Dollard SC, Grodstein E, Thomas C P, Katz D. Infiltrating Kaposi sarcoma presenting as acute kidney injury: An unexpected consequence of deliberate hepatitis C positive organ transplantation.  Transplant Infectious Diseases 2021, 23:e13481.   DOI:10.1111/tid.13481
4. Hocker N, Story MT, Lerud A, Kuppachi S.  Severe Hypercalcemia from Ectopic Intact Parathyroid Hormone Secretion Treated with Continuous Renal Replacement Therapy in a Patient with Two Malignancies.  BMJ Case Rep 2021 Jun 29; 14(6): e242172. doi: 10.1136/bcr-2021-242172
5. Thomas CP, Gupta S, Freese ME, Chouhan KK, Dantuma MI, Holanda DG, Katz DA, Darbro BW, Mansilla MA, and Smith RJ. Sequential genetic testing of living related donors for inherited renal disease to promote informed choice and enhance safety of living donation.  Transplant International 2021 34:2696-2705. doi: 10.1111/tri.14133.
6. Jónsdóttir H, Sanders ML, Goettsche L, Honkanen I, Schwartz A, Holanda D, Stone MS, Jabbari A. Dual diagnosis of histiocytoid Sweet syndrome and anti-neutrophil cytoplasmic antibody-associated vasculitis.  JAAD Case Rep. 2022 Apr 1;23:117-119.  eCollection 2022 May.   PMID: 35495970   PMCID: PMC9039867.   DOI: 10.1016/j.jdcr.2022.03.007
7. Mann L, Ten Eyck P, Wu C, Story MT, Jenigiri S, Patel J, Honkanen I, O'Connor K, Tener J, Sambharia M, Fraer M, Nourredine L, Somers D, Nizar J, Antes L, Kuppachi S, Swee M, Kuo E, Huang CL, Jalal DI, Griffin BR.. CVVHD results in longer filter life than pre-filter CVVH:  Results of a quasi-randomized clinical trial.  PLoS One.  . 2023 Jan 11;18(1):e0278550.  eCollection 2023.  PMID: 36630406.   PMCID: PMC9833553.  DOI: 10.1371/journal.pone.0278550