About Us

About Nephrology & Hypertension

Our multidisciplinary faculty combine patient care with research to support advances in the diagnosis, treatment and prevention of kidney diseases.

The University of Louisville Division of Nephrology and Hypertension provides comprehensive care for kidney and blood pressure disorders. Clinical services and areas of expertise include:

• Chronic kidney disease and hypertension: Evidence-based care for chronic kidney disease (CKD), glomerular diseases, hypertension and kidney failure.
• Dialysis and kidney replacement therapies: Services include hemodialysis, peritoneal dialysis and transplant nephrology.
• Glomerular Disease Clinic: The clinic provides diagnosis and management of complex glomerular diseases, including glomerulonephritis. Faculty members also contribute to Kidney Disease: Improving Global Outcomes (KDIGO) committees, which develop international clinical practice guidelines. Learn more about Kidney Disease: Improving Global Outcomes (KDIGO).
• Interventional nephrology: Our interventional nephrology program provides procedures including ultrasound-guided biopsies of native and transplanted kidneys, vascular access evaluation and fistula and graft management. These services support the diagnosis and treatment of kidney disease and dialysis-related conditions.
• Kidney transplant care: UofL Health – Trager Transplant Center provides kidney transplant evaluation, treatment and follow-up care. The kidney transplant program has served patients since 1964 and performed Kentucky’s first non-related living kidney-donor transplant. The transplant team also cares for patients with complex medical needs, including transplantation involving hepatitis-positive donor organs and transplantation for eligible patients living with HIV.
• Onco-nephrology: Our faculty evaluate and treat kidney conditions associated with cancer and cancer therapies. In collaboration with the UofL Health – Brown Cancer Center, the division provides care for patients experiencing cancer-related kidney complications. Faculty also conduct research focused on understanding, preventing and managing kidney complications associated with cancer and its treatment.
• Interdisciplinary care: Faculty collaborate across specialties to care for patients with conditions such as hypertension, lupus nephritis, kidney stones and kidney transplant complications.

Research and Discovery

The University of Louisville nephrology research program has contributed to the use of proteomic methods to identify biomarkers associated with kidney disease. Faculty have also contributed to research involving PLA2R, THSD7A and HTRA1 as target antigens associated with membranous nephropathy.

Our research combines proteomics, molecular biology, systems biology, clinical research and translational science to improve the understanding, detection and treatment of kidney disorders. Using approaches such as mass spectrometry-based proteomics and clinical phenotyping, researchers study molecular indicators of kidney injury and the mechanisms involved in kidney disease.

Research areas include:

• Biomarkers for diagnosis, risk assessment and treatment monitoring
• Chronic kidney disease
• Glomerular diseases
• Focal segmental glomerulosclerosis
• Lupus nephritis
• Autoimmune kidney diseases
• Environmental and metabolic factors associated with kidney dysfunction
• Precision medicine
• Kidney transplant outcomes
• Vascular access
• Approaches for monitoring chronic kidney disease progression
• Strategies for slowing or preventing the progression of chronic kidney disease

Faculty and fellows also participate in interdisciplinary clinical research, industry-sponsored clinical trials and studies related to vascular access and transplant outcomes.

Through collaboration among laboratory researchers, clinicians and other healthcare professionals, the division works to translate research findings into approaches that can support kidney health and patient care.

Medical Education and Training

The Division of Nephrology and Hypertension provides education and training opportunities for medical students, residents and fellows.

Training experiences include:

• Clinical rotations in chronic kidney disease, hypertension, glomerular disease, transplantation and interventional nephrology
• Experience with solid organ transplantation and kidney transplant care
• Extracorporeal therapies
• Interventional nephrology procedures
• Critical care nephrology
• Translational and clinical research
• Faculty mentorship and professional development

Learners gain experience caring for patients with a range of kidney conditions while developing skills in evidence-based clinical practice, research and interdisciplinary collaboration.

Scholarship and Collaboration

The Division of Nephrology and Hypertension supports faculty and trainee participation in research, scholarly publications, clinical guidelines and scientific collaboration.

Faculty work with researchers and healthcare professionals across disciplines to study clinical challenges, evaluate new approaches to care and contribute to the broader understanding of kidney disease.

Community Education and Kidney Health

Our division provides kidney health education for patients, caregivers and members of the community. Educational efforts focus on topics including risk factors, prevention, early detection and treatment options for kidney and blood pressure disorders.

Through patient care, research, education and community engagement, we work to improve kidney health and expand knowledge about the prevention and treatment of kidney disease.