Nephrology, Hypertension & Renal Transplantation
Nephrology, Hypertension & Renal Transplantation
Faculty
Stephen I-Hong Hsu, M.D., Ph.D.
Dr. Hsu’s current research interests reflect an expertise that encompasses a broad interdisciplinary program that includes the study of gene transcriptional regulation and cell cycle progression, molecular genetics/population genetics, and clinical and molecular epidemiology of non-communicable diseases. Formally trained as a cancer researcher and molecular and cell biologist, he has spent the decade expanding his expertise to cover: 1) population-based disease screening for primary, secondary and tertiary prevention, as well as for the creation of clinical databases for the epidemiologic study of risk factors for kidney and related diseases; 2) molecular genetic studies of IgA nephropathy (IgAN) and lupus nephritis among the multi-racial Asian population of Singapore and Southeast Asians seen at the BWH Asian Renal Clinic/International IgA Nephropathy Referral Center; 3) more recently the clinical and molecular epidemiology of type 2 diabetes mellitus and type 2 diabetic nephropathy among the Chamorros of Guam; and 4) basic science preclinical studies and clinical trials of novel patented chemotherapeutic agents based on the laboratory identification and characterization of a transcription factor family (TRIP-Br proteins) that regulates gene transcription and cell cycle progression through the well-described retinoblastoma protein (pRB) and E2F1/DP1 pathway. Ultimately, the goal is “translational medicine” with a starting point in the basic science laboratory, or that takes a public healthcare approach to make clinical interventions in unique populations with high disease burden so as to leverage on these “natural laboratories” by employing population-based disease screening coupled with clinical and molecular epidemiologic studies in order to translate findings to both the “bedside” and to a “population” level.