Nephrology, Hypertension & Renal Transplantation
Nephrology, Hypertension & Renal Transplantation
Opportuinities in Research
Research Topics
Our training program has the following Research Core Groups:
A. Chronic Renal Disease Core: These are individuals who have an interest in understanding mechanisms underlying renal progression. The T32 mentors include Dr Richard Johnson (role of tubulointerstitial fibrosis and microvascular disease in progression), Dr Mark Segal (role of endothelial progenitor cells in renal progression), and Chris Baylis (nitric oxide and vascular integrity in renal progression). Christiaan Leuwenburgh is an expert on oxidative stress and is studying its role in renal progression in smokers. Other nephrology faculty in the core (but not primary T32 mentors) include Dr Taka Nakagawa, Dr Yuri Sautin, Dr Wei Mu, and Dr Yanping Diao. Structure function relationships are provided by Dr Tisher and Dr Verlander-Reed.
B. Diabetes/Diabetic Nephropathy Core: These are individuals interesting in the pathogenesis of diabetic nephropathy and retinopathy. The T32 mentors include Dr Richard Johnson (role of VEGF), Dr Maria Grant (angiogenesis), Dr William Hauswirth (gene targeting), Dr Mark Atkinson (immune mechanisms), Dr Michael Clare Salzer (immune mechanisms), Dr Byron Croker (animal models of diabetic nephropathy) and Dr Mark Segal (angiogenesis). Additional core members (but not T32 mentors) include Drs Takahiko Nakagawa and Dr Yuri Sautin. Structure function relationships are provided by Dr Tisher and Dr Verlander-Reed.
C. Hypertension and Preeclampsia Core: These are individuals identifying mechanisms involved in the pathogenesis of hypertension and preeclampsia. The T32 mentors are Chris Baylis (role of nitric oxide, preeclampsia), Richard Johnson (role of uric acid and microvascular injury, preeclampsia), Mohan Raizada (neural mechanisms and the renin angiotensin system), Zhonghie Sun (vasoactive mediators, cold-induced hypertension), and Kirk Conrad (preeclampsia), Charles Wood (fetal development and role in preeclampsia).
D. Acid base and Electrolyte Transport Core: Areas of study include renal and extrarenal mechanisms of ammonia transport; aldosterone signaling; potassium channels and excretion; and regulation of H+K+ ATPase. The T32 mentors include Brian Cain, Shannon Holliday, Peter Stacpoole, I David Weiner, and Charles Wingo. Structure function relationships are provided by Dr Tisher and Dr Verlander-Reed. Other nephrology faculty members with overlapping research interest include Drs Yuri Sautin and Sheng-Lin Xiao.
E. Transplantation Clinical Outcomes Core: An extremely active clinical transplantation outcomes group led by T32 mentor Ulf Meier-Kriesche (Renal Transplant Director) is also available to trainees. Research areas also include pharmacokinetic studies. The program has an extensive clinical research staff (nurses, research coordinators) as well as several participating faculty, particularly Jesse Schold (Biostatistician) and Titte R Srinivas (Transplant Nephrologist). Dr Betsy Shenkman (Chair, Department of Health Policy and Epidemiology) is also a member of the Core Clinical Outcomes Core.
F. Clinical Research Program: A new clinical research program is also being established in the Division of Nephrology. Dr. Stephen Hsu was selected as the first holder of the new 2-million dollar endowed chair for a Clinical Trialist for the Division of Nephrology. The Division has already received funding and have initiated a number of studies, including an NIH-funded clinical trial to determine if lowering uric acid can improve blood pressure control in Africa Americans with Stage I hypertension on diuretics (R J Johnson and M Segal, HL-79352) a 1.2 million dollar State of Florida clinical research grant to investigate the effect of smoking on renal progression (M Segal, C Baylis, C Leeuwenburgh, H Richards, and RJ Johnson), and a clinical trial to determine if brain natriuretic peptide can prevent postoperative acute renal failure in subjects undergoing complicated cardiovascular surgery (A Ejaz, T Beaver, R Johnson). Several of these studies are being conducted at the GCRC resulting in strong interactions with GCRC Director Peter Stacpoole. We also have a strong clinical research staff program including clinical research nurses and a technician, grants administrative support and IRB support individuals. Finally, the program has strong ties with the Clinical Outcomes Group in Renal Transplantation, and we have also initiated collaborations with several outstanding clinical research groups, including the Dept of Pharmacogenomics (Julie Johnson) and the Dept of Health Policy and Epidemiology (Betsy Shenkman). Current T32 mentors include Ulf Meier-Kriesche, Richard Johnson, Julie Johnson, Peter Stacpoole, and Marian Limacher.
One of the best options for those who wish to do clinical research is to enter the Advanced Postgraduate Program in Clinical Investigation (APPCI). This program, led by Marian Limacher, is open to T32 trainees and junior faculty and provides an extensive didactic training as well as mentoring for clinical research. Several of our junior nephrology faculty have trained in this program (namely, TR Srinivas and J Tantravahi). Importantly, individuals who enter into this program as part of their T32 grant may pursue a Master of Science in Clinical Investigation, a Master in Epidemiology, or a Master in Public Health (see below).
One particular interest spawning from the clinical research program is the development of a Clinical Glomerular Disease Core group. Two current areas are being pursued in detail. The first is an active Lupus nephritis group headed by Drs Mark Segal from Nephrology and Drs Hanno Richards and Westley Reeves from Rheumatology. A jointly attended lupus clinic with over 300 patients is followed, and a large data base has been obtained for a variety of ongoing clinical research studies. In addition, a collaborative study has been initiated between Pediatric Nephrology (Dr Eduardo Garin) and Adult Nephrology (led by Dr Richard Johnson) and Immunology (Mark Atkinson) to identify the immune basis of Minimal Change Disease. Interesting preliminary data have been collected and one of the T32 trainees for this year has selected this program. The potential to study experimental glomerular disease is also encouraged for individuals selecting this core (with Dr Richard Johnson or Dr Mark Segal).
G. Renal Physiology and Anatomy: Expertise in renal physiology and structure is provided by Dr Chris Baylis and Charles Wood from the Dept of Physiology, and from Kirsten Madsen and C Craig Tisher from Nephrology. Additional mentors include David Weiner and Charles Wingo. Dr Baylis is an expert on micropuncture as well as small animal experimentation, and Dr Woods has a sheep model for studying fetal development. Dr Verlander-Reed and Tisher are world renown for their detailed structure-function relationship using ultrastructure techniques.
H. Basic Science Cores: Studies in basic science laboratories distinct from Nephrology are allowed provided the research project has some application to the field of nephrology and that there is a Renal Mentor who can monitor progress of the trainee. Most of the T32 mentors already have established scientific collaborations with nephrology, so they are already connected via one of the cores above. Examples of the various basic science core programs include Molecular Biology (Cell signaling and gene regulation) with T32 mentors Harry Nick, Julie Johnson, Brian Cain, Shannon Holliday, and Genetics (pharmacogenomics, molecular gene evolution studies, and gene transfer) with Julie Johnson, Steven Benner, William Hauswirth, Mark Atkinson, and Maria Grant.
To learn more about Opportunities in Research within the Division of Nephrology and Renal Transplantation choose a topic below: