Hot Topics in Kidney Health

Living donors and mental health

Donating a kidney is one of the most selfless gifts one person can give to another. But what is that experience like for the donor before and after the transplant surgery? Today, we'll hear from Jessica Kolansky, a living kidney donor, and Alexandra Catalyst, a transplant coordinator, about the post transplant experience and what resources are available to donors after the surgery. On today’s episode we heard from:

 

Jessica Kolansky

In 2013, Jessica’s Dad was diagnosed with end stage renal disease. When Jessica and her brother learned of the diagnosis, both immediately volunteered to be tested for compatibility, despite Dad’s exclaiming “I didn’t raise you for spare parts!” Both were eligible donors, but Jessica pulled the big sister card and became the living donor on June 3, 2014. Jessica and her Dad are each doing well as they approach their 9th kidneyversary.Jessica initially got involved with the National Kidney Foundation while researching what to expect as a living donor and quickly signed up for the Philadelphia Kidney Walk. She received a call shortly thereafter from a member of the local NKF office and an instant bond was formed. Team Papa K has been among the top fundraisers in Philly for the last nine years. Jessica was honored to join the Board of Advisors for Eastern PA and NJ and enjoys working with the Kidney Advocacy Committee to advocate for kidney patients across the country.  Jessica and her husband Daniel, also a kidney donor to his father, live in Philly with their dog Paco. 

 

Alexandra Tatooles LCSW, ACM-SW

Lexi Tatooles is the living donor social worker at Rush University Medical Center. She is also the outpatient ambulatory care social worker for the cardiology and vascular department. She received my Master’s in Social Work at UIC Jane Addams College of Social Work in 2018 and from there started her social work career at Rush in 2019. Although she wears many hats in her current roles, she really enjoys getting to work with the various disciplines within the hospital setting and coming from a perspective of looking at patients from a holistic approach to better advocate for patients’ needs and identify barriers. When she is not at work she love to get outside and explore my Bucktown neighborhood with her fiancé and their 90lb goldendoodle named Charlie.

 

Additional Resources:

NKF Peers

CKD and Metal Health 

 

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Laughter therapy for kidney patients

Is laughter really the best medicine? On today’s episode we’ll discuss an exciting new coping strategy for dialysis patients called guided group laughing therapy. What is it and how does it help? Dr. Paul Bennet who ran a study on the benefits of laughing therapy and Kimberly Super-Harrigan, a dialysis patient, are here to break it down.

 

Professor Paul Bennett

Paul has experience in both academia and industry in Australia and the US. He also is Director of Research, Clinical Medical Affairs, Satellite Healthcare based in San Jose, California. Paul's program of research underpins his mission to positively impact the lives of people with chronic kidney disease. Research exploring peer support, laughter and happiness, resistance exercise, patient-reported outcomes, patient activation and home dialysis has contributed to this mission. Paul is an investigator on four current Category 1 studies (3 x NHMRC studies and 1 Canadian (CIH)) that will improve the lives of people with chronic kidney disease. Paul is an active leader in the International Society of Nephrology (ISN), The Global Renal Exercise (GREX) Network, The International Society of Nutrition and Metabolism (ISRNM) and The Renal Society of Australasia (RSA). Paul's most recent impactful work was leading the ISPD and GREX global exercise and activity recommendations for people with peritoneal dialysis.

 

Kimberly Harrigan

My name is Kimberly Harrigan and I have been on in center dialysis for six years. I have found that family connection at my clinic and we enjoy laughing together while we are getting connected to our machines. Life has thrown me a lot of curve balls, but I have been able to keep fighting and laughing.

 

Additional Resources: 

Laughter Therapy Information

Professor Paul's Research Publication

 

Do you have comments, questions, or suggestions? Email us at NKFpodcast@kidney.org. Also, make sure to rate and review us wherever you listen to podcasts.

 

BMI and weight management for kidney patients and living donors

Obesity is one of the major risk factors for developing kidney disease, which is measured through the body mass index or BMI. This measurement factors into the process for both living donors and transplant recipients. On today’s episode, you’ll learn how to measure your BMI and hear from both kidney patients on how managing their weight affected their kidney health.

In this episode we spoke with, 

Carol Murray is a Quality Manager for Boston Scientific in Minnesota. On June 12, 2019, she donated a kidney to her husband who was diagnosed with Chronic Kidney Disease in 2015. Introduced to the National Kidney Foundation too and through the transplant journey Carol became passionate about ways to draw attention to need for living donors as well as advocating for living donors. Working with the National Kidney Foundation on a local level she has participated in the Big Ask:Big Give, Kidney Walks, and Advocacy Day. With a strong desire to provide help and hope for others Carol has been involved in several roles with a few different non-profit organizations. Carol has a B.S degree in Quality Management from the University of Minnesota Crookston, and an A.A.S in Manufacturing Technology from Hennepin Technical College. 

Golnaz Ghomeshi Friedman, RD, is a Senior Dietitian and Certified Clinical Transplant Dietitian for UC Davis Health Transplant Program and has been working in this role since 2014. Golnaz values the importance and impact of nutrition in the transplant population and has been involved in a variety of projects directly impacting patient care. She has developed and modified policies that have made a significant impact on the decision-making process for transplant patient selection. Golnaz has worked with the transplant team and served as co-investigator on various research projects including those centered around assessment of malnutrition, functional status and frailty in transplant candidates.

Melanie Pina was diagnosed with lupus nephritis in 2018, and in 2021 she became a peritoneal dialysis patient. Melanie started sharing her journey online since April 2022 and recently had weight loss surgery to be on the transplant list. Now she is waiting for a transplant and hopefully, her second shot at life will come soon. 

 

Additional Resources: 

Melanie's Blog Article 

5 Exercises for Kidney Patients

 

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Access to reproductive care for kidney patients

In 2022, the US Supreme Court overturned precedent established by Roe v Wade, eliminating the constitutional right to abortion. Family planning decisions can be difficult and complex for kidney patients. On today’s episode, we’ll discuss how this impacts kidney patients and disadvantaged patients with limited access to healthcare.

 

On this episode we spoke with, 

Harriett Oppenheim

Born and raised in Jackson, Mississippi, Harriett Oppenheim has over fifteen years of experience working in the public sector. Harriett graduated from Jackson State University in May 2005 in Jackson, Mississippi where she received her Bachelors Degree in English. Before beginning law school Harriett served as the Project Organizer for the Mississippi Women’s Health Project with the ACLU of Mississippi. Harriett attended the University Of Mississippi School Of Law where she received her Jurist Doctorate in May 2008.  After graduating law school Harriett then served as Law Clerk for the Honorable Lillie Blackmon Sanders of the Sixteenth Judicial Circuit Court in Natchez, Mississippi. She also served as Advocacy Coordinator/Attorney for the ACLU of Mississippi’s Juvenile Justice Program. Harriett is now a Senior Trial Attorney for the Equal Employment Opportunity Commission in the Jackson Area Office. Harriett is a Member of the Mississippi Bar Association, American Bar Association, Delta Sigma Theta Sorority, Inc., National Employment Law Association, American Constitution Society, and Magnolia Bar Association. She is married to Jed Oppenheim and has a two year old son.

Dr. Andrea Oliverio

Dr. Andrea Oliverio is a nephrologist and Assistant Professor at the University of Michigan. Her research focuses on the reproductive health of people with kidney disease and improving patient-centered reproductive counseling in this population. She sees patients with all stages and types of kidney disease in clinic and has a particular focus on young adults and people with glomerular disease.

 

Do you have comments, questions, or suggestions? Email us at NKFpodcast@kidney.org. Also, make sure to rate and review us wherever you listen to podcasts.

 

Additional Resources: 

Dobbs Ruling Puts Kidney Patients in Jeopardy

Find information about abortion policies in your state

Information on contraception and abortion

Find and connect with abortion clinics, services and resources by state

Game Changers: Treating CKD earlier

Did you know that 40% of chronic kidney disease progression may be preventable with earlier diagnosis and treatment? On this episode, you will hear the facts around treating CKD earlier from Dr. Joe Vassalotti, NKF’s Chief Medical Officer. You will also hear from Jane DeMeis on her journey with kidney disease.

In this episode we spoke with, 

Joseph A. Vassalotti . MD

Dr. Vassalotti is the Chief Medical Officer of the National Kidney Foundation (NKF) and Clinical Professor of Medicine in the Division of Nephrology, at Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai. At NKF, his major focus is implementation of evidence based clinical practice guidelines in chronic kidney disease (CKD). He led collaborations to develop the Kidney Health Evaluation for Adults with Diabetes quality measure to improve evidenced based estimated glomerular filtration guide detection, risk stratification and interventions rate and albuminuria testing to proportional to risk also served as PI for an AARP in the U.S. He funded Kidney Health Evaluation for Adults with Diabetes to analyze quality measure satisfaction with detection, evidenced Platform based therapies and health equity. Currently, he serves as Principal Investigator for the Kidney Score , an NKF educational project funded by the Veterans Administration Center for Innovation to improve awareness and education among Veterans with and at risk for CKD in the primary care setting. He is also a coinvestigator for the Center for Disease Control and Prevention’s CKD Surveillance Project. Dr. Vassalotti typically sees approximately 40 patients per week and has over 100 publications in peer reviewed journals.

 

Jane DeMeis

Ms. DeMeis became involved with the National Kidney Foundation in 2018 after she was diagnosed with stage 4 kidney disease. Previously, Ms. DeMeis had been in stage three since 2010 and also developed diabetes. Ms. DeMeis attended classes, read and took training and became very knowledgeable about nutrition and lifestyle for CKD. She is a certified Kidney Coach. Ms. DeMeis is the Chairperson of the Perinton Ambulance Corps and when COVID allows will be bringing kidney education to their Community Outreach program. 

 

Do you have comments, questions, or suggestions? Email us at NKFpodcast@kidney.org. Also, make sure to rate and review us wherever you listen to podcasts.

 

Additional Resources: 

Early Diagnosis of Kidney Disease: Incentivizing Comprehensive Testing

 

Managing fluid intake as a CKD patient

It is important that certain individuals with CKD limit their fluid intake, but many don’t understand why or where to begin. On today’s episode, we sat down with experts to discuss fluid restriction, such as why it’s important, the negative effects of consuming too much, and ways to manage a fluid-restricted diet.

On today's episode we spoke with: 

Catherine C. Wells, DNP, ACNP, CNN-NP, FNKF

Dr. Wells have been practicing as a Nephrology Nurse Practitioner in Mississippi for 19 years. She is an Acute Care Nurse Practitioner trained at The University of Mississippi with a Nephrology specialty via Vanderbilt University. Dr. Wells obtained my Doctorate of Nursing Practice from the University of South Alabama in 2010. She is certified as a Nephrology Nurse Practitioner since 2008. She spent 3 years in private Nephrology practice treating dialysis and CKD patients. In 2006, Dr. Wells joined the faculty of the University of Mississippi Medical Center (UMMC). At UMMC her clinical practice is general Nephrology with clinical expertise in acute and chronic renal replacement therapies. She teaches locally and nationally, and supports the research efforts of the Division of Nephrology.

Anthony Reed

As a former dialysis patient, and now living with a kidney transplant, Ant knows what it takes to not only live with kidney disease but to live beyond kidney disease. He has shared his story and lessons he has learned on a nationwide level and continues to work towards the betterment of kidney patients worldwide. 

 

Additional resources:

Episode transcript

Learning to Follow Your Dialysis Fluid Restrictions

Do you have comments, questions, or suggestions? Email us at NKFpodcast@kidney.org. Also, make sure to rate and review us wherever you listen to podcasts!

 

Exercise and bone health: what CKD patients should know

Keeping your body and bones strong are important when you have kidney disease. Do you know what types of exercise are good for kidney patients? What about for transplant recipients or people on dialysis? In this episode, we sat down with experts to discuss the benefits and recommendations of managing an exercise routine.

On this episode, we spoke with: 

Brittany Glazar

 Brittany has been a Clinical Exercise Physiologist at the University of Delaware for 3 years working in their Exercise and Functional Training Lab. Each day she gets the chance to work with individuals with all stages of CKD including transplant, as well as apparently healthy individuals and those with Parkinson’s disease.

 

Wilson Du

Wilson is a kidney transplant recipient from Alameda, California.  Prior to receiving his transplant in 03/2022, he was on hemodialysis for 5.5 years.  During his time on dialysis, he managed to lose over 130lbs, completed various physical competitions (10K, half marathons, triathlons), and also rode his bike 500+ miles down the coast of California.  He has now dedicated his life to helping other patients live their best life through his gym in California.  He is known as the Renal Warrior.

 

Do you have comments, questions, or suggestions? Email us at NKFpodcast@kidney.org. Also, make sure to rate and review us wherever you listen to podcasts.

 

Treatment options for undocumented people with kidney disease

Undocumented people face increased barriers to accessing health coverage and care, including treatment for kidney disease. In this episode, our guest experts discuss what treatment options are currently available for undocumented people and what kind of advocacy efforts are being made to improve their access to health care. 

 

On this episode, we spoke with:

Lilia Cervantes, MD

Dr. Cervantes received her undergraduate degree at CU Boulder and completed both her medical degree and internal medicine residency at the University of Colorado School of Medicine.  Her background as a first generation Latina inspired her deep commitment to becoming a physician as well as her community service, advocacy, and research focused on promoting social justice in medical education and care.  Dr. Cervantes has worked for over 12 years as an internal medicine hospitalist at Denver Health, the safety-net hospital, and has dedicated her career to creating a healthcare workforce that is diverse as well as conducting research to improve person-centered and clinical outcomes among Latinx patients on dialysis.  The catalyst for her interest in improving outcomes for Latinx patients with chronic kidney disease was a former undocumented Latina patient with kidney failure who struggled with emergency dialysis (dialysis in the emergency department when critically ill) and ultimately died. Funded by the RWJF and the Doris Duke Foundation, Dr. Cervantes discovered the worse outcomes of undocumented immigrants who rely only on emergency dialysis. In 2019, as a result of Dr. Cervantes’ research and stakeholder engagement, Colorado Medicaid opted to include the diagnosis of kidney failure as a qualifying condition under Emergency Medicaid thereby expanding access to standard dialysis.  In addition to her work with the undocumented kidney failure community, Dr. Cervantes is developing culturally tailored interventions that will address the social challenges faced by racial/ethnic minorities with chronic kidney disease.

 

Luz Baqueiro

Luz was diagnosed with end stage renal disease in 2018 and has recently received a kidney transplant. Luz started dialysis in the ER for almost a year this being the she did not qualify for any government assistance like Medicaid or the marketplace because she is not a born US citizen. She joined the NKF Advocacy Team after experiencing firsthand what is like not to be able to receive the care you need simple because you are not a citizen she felt she need it to raise awareness on this issues, to share her story and the story of many others who are not getting the proper care they so desperately need.

 

Additional resources:

Exercise: What You Should Know

Do you have comments, questions, or suggestions? Email us at NKFpodcast@kidney.org. Also, make sure to rate and review us wherever you listen to podcasts.

Las opciones de tratamiento para las personas indocumentadas con enfermedad renal

Las personas indocumentadas enfrentan bastantes barreras para acceder cobertura y atención médica, incluyendo el tratamiento para la enfermedad renal. En este episodio, nuestras expertas invitadas discuten qué opciones de tratamiento están disponibles actualmente para las personas indocumentadas y qué tipo de esfuerzos se están haciendo para mejorar el acceso a la atención médica.

En este episodio, conversamos con:

Lilia Cervantes, MD

La Dra. Cervantes obtuvo su título universitario en la Universidad de Colorado en Boulder. Al finalizar, ingresó a la Escuela de Medicina de la Universidad de Colorado para completar su grado doctoral y posteriormente realiza su residencia en medicina interna. Ser latina de primera generación fue la inspiración de su gran compromiso de convertirse en médico, al igual que su servicio a la comunidad, su activismo e investigación, centrada en la promoción de la justicia social en la educación y atención médica. La Dra. Cervantes ha ejercido por más de 12 años como médico internista en Denver Health, hospital de red segura, y ha dedicado su carrera en crear un equipo diverso de profesionales de la salud. De igual manera, ha dirigido investigaciones para mejorar el desempeño clínico y fomentar una atención centrada en la persona entre los pacientes latinxs en diálisis. El motivo de su interés por mejorar los resultados de los pacientes latinxs con enfermedad renal crónica fue a raíz de una paciente latina indocumentada con insuficiencia renal, quien luchó contra la diálisis de urgencia (diálisis en la sala de emergencias cuando se encuentra en estado crítico) hasta que falleció. Financiado por la RWJF y la Fundación Doris Duke, la Dra. Cervantes descubrió los peores desenlaces de los inmigrantes indocumentados que dependen únicamente de la diálisis en urgencias.  Como resultado de su investigación y la participación de las partes interesadas, en el 2019, Colorado Medicaid optó por incluir el diagnóstico de insuficiencia renal como una de las condiciones que cualifican para Medicaid de Emergencia, ampliando así el acceso a la diálisis estándar. Además de su trabajo con la comunidad de personas indocumentadas con insuficiencia renal, la Dra. Cervantes está desarrollando intervenciones culturalmente adaptadas que abordarán los retos sociales a los que se enfrentan las minorías raciales y étnicas con enfermedad renal crónica.

Luz Baqueiro

Luz fue diagnosticada con una enfermedad renal en etapa terminal para el año 2018 y recientemente ha recibido un trasplante de riñón. Al no ser ciudadana americana de nacimiento, Luz, no contaba con los requisitos necesarios para recibir asistencia del gobierno, como el Medicaid; por lo que tuvo que comenzar diálisis en salas de emergencias por casi un año. Luego de conocer personalmente lo que significa no poder recibir los cuidados necesarios por el simple hecho de no ser ciudadano, decide unirse al grupo de activistas de la NKF y así poder crear conciencia sobre estos temas, compartir su historia y la de muchas otras personas que no reciben los cuidados adecuados que tan desesperadamente necesitan.

Recursos adicionales:

Open Letter to State Medicaid Directors

Sé parte del Grupo de Activistas/Defensores

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Flu Vaccine: What Kidney Patients Need to Know in 2022

As a kidney patient or a transplant recipient, you probably know that getting a flu shot can offer the best protection from a serious disease. But should you get it every year? Or is it safe to get the flu and the COVID vaccine or booster at the same time? Get answers to these questions and more on today’s podcast with Dr. Harold Manley, Senior Pharmacy Director at Dialysis Clinic Inc. in Nashville, TN, and Rachel Bratcher, a patient living with IgA nephropathy. 

Breaking Down New Medicare Coverage for Immunosuppressant Drugs

The Medicare coverage for immunosuppressive drugs for kidney transplant patients has recently been expanded. But what does this new benefit cover and who is eligible? in this podcast, Cynthia Nichols-Jackson, a registered nurse and a program coordinator for the National Kidney Foundation, and Troy Zimmerman, a special projects director for the National Kidney Foundation, discuss how this new policy will affect the future for kidney transplants.  

 

Should You Follow A Special Diet After Transplant?

After a kidney transplant, your diet still plays a big role. Do you know which foods to avoid or how your transplant medications affect what you can eat? On today’s episode, we’ll discuss how you can keep your new kidney healthy while also maintaining a healthy weight.

How potassium affects kidney patients

One of the jobs your kidneys is to manage your body’s levels of potassium, which keeps your heartbeat regular and your muscles working right. Many kidney patients need to watch what they eat to ensure that their potassium levels don’t become too high and cause dangerous health risks. On today’s episode, you’ll hear how to best manage your potassium levels to protect yourself.

 

In this episode, we spoke with:

Jessianna Saville, RD

Jessianna Saville RD, CSR LDN is a renal dietitian with over 12 years experience. After working 8 years in the dialysis setting, she decided to fully concentrate her energy on her virtual practice and helping provide early nutrition intervention for kidney disease clients. She is the founder and owner of KidneyNutritionInstitute.org, a collective of expert renal dietitians that serve all areas of kidney disease. She is also the founder of RenAlign, a non-profit that advocates for nutrition as a first line therapy for kidney disease through the RenaLIFE and Ren.Nu programs. She and her team develop training resources for other renal dietitians at RenalNutritionMastery.com, helping them stay up-to-date on all things renal nutrition and guiding them through setting up their own private practice. Her passion for good food shows up in the kidney-friendly recipes her team creates on the blog and the amount of time she spends cooking herself. Along for the ride with Jessianna are her three children and husband, a very old dog, 2 kittens, and 4 friendly backyard chickens.

Dawn Edwards

Self-described 25+ Year chronic kidney disease Warrior, Dawn P. Edwards, a nocturnal home hemodialysis patient, has experienced first-hand, every renal replacement modality including a kidney transplant, rejection and return to dialysis. Dawn is dedicated to improving the quality of life of people with kidney disease, and is also a resource to her community, sharing her story and educating patients, professionals and the public about the importance of maintaining a healthy lifestyle and the relationship between hypertension, diabetes and kidney disease, especially among people of color and low socioeconomic status. Dawn has served the community for over 25 years through the IPRO ESRD Network of New York in multiple roles including employment as their Community Outreach Coordinator. She is an NKF Kidney Advocate and Peer Mentor and also currently serves on many kidney disease related boards.

 

Additional resources:

Potassium and Your CKD Diet

Kidney-friendly recipes

Episode transcript

 

Do you have comments, questions, or suggestions? Email us at NKFpodcast@kidney.org. Also, make sure to rate and review us wherever you listen to podcasts!

How kidney patients should protect themselves from COVID-19 in 2022

While many people feel like the world is headed back to normal, many kidney patients can feel left behind. COVID-19 is still top of mind for those who are immunocompromised and we're here to offer resources and support. On today's episode, our guests will answer your questions about how COVID-19 affects transplant, dialysis, and early stage CKD patients.

 

In this episode, we spoke with:

Dan Weiner, MD

Dan Weiner is a nephrologist at Tufts Medical Center and Associate Professor of Medicine at Tufts University School of Medicine. His clinical interests include home and in-center dialysis, hypertension and CKD. His research has focused on cardiovascular and cerebrovascular disease in CKD; clinical trials in CKD, dialysis and hypertension; decision-making in advanced CKD; and policy. He works closely with the American Society of Nephrology on kidney disease policy. He is DCI's Medical Director of Clinical Research, and he is the Editor-in-Chief of the NKF's journal, Kidney Medicine, and the NKF's Primer on Kidney Diseases, the 8th edition of which will be published in early 2022.

Patrick Gee

Patrick Gee is a Community Activist, fighting against systemic issues such as poverty, social and racial injustices, criminal justice reform, and education reform. Patrick worked for the Virginia Department of Corrections and the Virginia Department of Juvenile Justice, where during his time in service, he acquired several awards and recognitions. In April 2013, Patrick was diagnosed with Stage 3b End-Stage Kidney Disease (ESKD). He began doing Peritoneal Dialysis (PD) in December 2013. On April 21, 2017, Patrick received a kidney transplant. Patrick has been very passionate in his pursuit to speak on behalf of the underserved, undervalued, and disenfranchised communities of color. Because of this, he serves as an advocate and kidney patient expert for a number of organizations including the NKF, CMS, FDA, KHI, AKF, AAKP and HDU.  

 

Additional resources:

COVID-19 resources

What you need to know about COVID-19 in 2022

COVID-19 vaccine and treatments for people with kidney disease

Regional resources for COVID-19

Kidney disease and COVID-19

Episode transcript

 

Do you have comments, questions, or suggestions? Email us at NKFpodcast@kidney.org. Also, make sure to rate and review us wherever you listen to podcasts!

What is basic science research and why is it important?

When we hear the word research, most of us think of innovative breakthrough treatments and technologies. But applied clinical research could not be possible without another type of research called basic science research in which scientists study the fundamental processes of the human body. In this episode, we’ll learn what basic science research is and how it applies to the area of kidneys and kidney disease.

 

In this episode, we spoke with:

Hannah Wesselman

Hannah Wesselman is a PhD candidate at the University of Notre Dame studying the genetic mechanisms underlying kidney development in Dr. Rebecca Wingert's lab. Prior to her dissertation work, Hannah worked with Dr. Larissa Myaskovsky at the University of Pittsburgh Center for Research on Health Care, and their collaboration continued as Dr. Myaskovsky moved to the University of New Mexico Center for Healthcare Equity in Kidney Disease. During this time, Hannah worked directly with kidney transplant patients, and later published in CJASN on social determinants and race disparities in kidney transplant. Inspired by the strength of the kidney community, Hannah has returned to bench science in the hopes of identifying new treatment targets and has continued to connect with kidney patients through NKF advocacy.

Holly Kramer, M.D., MPH

Holly Kramer, M.D., MPH, is a practicing nephrologist who conducts research connecting nutrition and kidney health. Her connection to the National Kidney Foundation was inspired by her mom, who was a dialysis nurse and helped create some of the first dialysis units in Northwest Indiana. Dr. Kramer finds being on the NKF Board important, because it is the largest, patient-centered organization focusing on kidney disease. Her long-term goal is to increase national funding for kidney disease research and to heighten awareness about chronic kidney disease.

Joseph V. Bonventre, M.D., PhD

Dr. Bonventre is the Samuel A. Levine Distinguished Professor of Medicine and Constantine L. Hampers Distinguished Chair at Harvard Medical School and Professor of Health Sciences and Technology at the Massachusetts Institute of Technology. He is Chief of the Renal Division and Founding Chief of the Engineering in Medicine Division of the Brigham and Women's Hospital. In addition to his B.S. with distinction in Engineering Physics from Cornell, Dr. Bonventre holds M.D. and Ph.D. degrees in Biophysics from Harvard University.  He has honorary doctorate degrees from Mt. Saint Mary’s College and from the Norwegian Institute of Science and Technology in Norway. He was Director of the Harvard-MIT Division of Health Sciences and Technology for 10 years. 

 

Additional resources:

Kidney Research

NKF Research Connect

NKF Patient Network

Become an Advocate

 

Do you have comments, questions, or suggestions? Email us at NKFpodcast@kidney.org. Also, make sure to rate and review us wherever you listen to podcasts!