Division of Nephrology

Research

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We are proud to announce the recent opening of the USC/UKRO Kidney Research Center, located on the 5th and 6th floors of the Mudd Memorial Research Building on the Keck School of Medicine campus. Under the direction of Kenneth R. Hallows, MD, PhD, Chief of the Division of Nephrology and Hypertension , the USC/UKRO Kidney Research Center will focus on cutting-edge, disease-focused, multidisciplinary basic and translational research on the causes of and treatments for kidney diseases with a particular focus on the areas of acute kidney injury, kidney regeneration and repair, polycystic kidney disease and other chronic kidney diseases, hypertension, acid-base regulation and kidney cancer.

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Faculty Research Areas

  • Interactions between the Kidney and the Central Noradrenergic Control of Blood Pressure
    Microalbuminuria in Essential Hypertension
    Role of Aldosterone in the Progression of CKD
    Role of Dyslipidemia in the Progression of CKD
    Renal Denervation in the Management of Resistant Hypertension

    1. Bigazzi R, Zagato L, Lanzani C, Fontana S, Messaggio E, Delli Carpini S, Citterio L, Simonini M, Brioni E, Magnaghi C, Colombo GI, Santini G, Nistri F, Cellai F, Lenti S, Bianchi S, Pertosa GB, Rocchetti MT, Papale M, Mezzolla V, Gesualdo L, Pina Concas M, Campese V, Manunta P. Hypertension in High School Students: Genetic and Environmental Factors: The HYGEF Study. Hypertension. 2020 Jan;75(1):71-78. doi: 10.1161/HYPERTENSIONAHA.119.13818. Epub 2019 Nov 25. PMID: 31760884
    2. Wei J, Johansen KL, McCulloch CE, Lipkowitz M, Weir M, Lin F, Campese VM, Smogorzewski M, Ku E. Association Between APOL1 Genotype and Need for Kidney Replacement Therapy in Patients Without Diabetes: Does Age Matter? Am J Kidney Dis. 2020 Feb;75(2):294-296. doi: 10.1053/j.ajkd.2019.08.017. Epub 2019 Dec 16. PMID: 31837887

  • Home Dialysis Modalities: Benefits and Cost
    Management of Glomerular Diseases
    Optimizing Clinical Outcomes in Hemodialysis and Peritoneal Dialysis
    Urgent Start Peritoneal Dialysis
    Effect of Hemodialysis on Obstructive Sleep Apnea
    Optimal Practices in Managing Kidney Stones

  • Regulation of the CFTR chloride channel by AMPK
    Regulation of the epithelial Na+ channel (ENaC) by AMPK
    Regulation of AMPK function by CFTR in polarized airway epithelial cells
    Regulation of Nedd4-2 by kinases
    Regulation of other ion transport proteins by AMPK
    AMPK activation by metformin as a novel therapeutic strategy for autosomal dominant polycystic kidney disease (ADPKD)
    Role of AMPK in acute kidney injury (AKI) and chronic kidney disease (CKD)

    1. Saitta B, Jalili MF, Zohoorkari H, Rao R, Hallows KR, Baty CJ, Pastor-Soler NM. Ex vivo kidney slice preparations as a model system to study signaling cascades in kidney epithelial cells. Methods Cell Biol. 2019;153:185-203. doi: 10.1016/bs.mcb.2019.04.017. PMID: 31395379
    2. Ho PY, Li H, Cheng L, Bhalla V, Fenton RA, Hallows KR. AMPK phosphorylation of the β1Pix exchange factor regulates the assembly and function of an ENaC inhibitory complex in kidney epithelial cells. Am J Physiol Renal Physiol. 2019 Dec 1;317(6):F1513-F1525. doi: 10.1152/ajprenal.00592.2018. Epub 2019 Sep 30. PMID: 31566435
    3. Jia J, Bissa B, Brecht L, Allers L, Choi SW, Gu Y, Zbinden M, Burge MR, Timmins G, Hallows K, Behrends C, Deretic V. AMPK, a Regulator of Metabolism and Autophagy, Is Activated by Lysosomal Damage via a Novel Galectin-Directed Ubiquitin Signal Transduction System. Mol Cell. 2020 Mar 5;77(5):951-969.e9. doi: 10.1016/j.molcel.2019.12.028. Epub 2020 Jan 28. PMID: 31995728
    4. Jin K, Ma Y, Manrique-Caballero CL, Li H, Emlet DR, Li S, Baty CJ, Wen X, Kim-Campbell N, Frank A, Menchikova EV, Pastor-Soler NM, Hallows KR, Jackson EK, Shiva S, Pinsky MR, Zuckerbraun BS, Kellum JA, Gómez H. Activation of AMP-activated protein kinase during sepsis/inflammation improves survival by preserving cellular metabolic fitness. FASEB J. 2020 May;34(5):7036-7057. doi: 10.1096/fj.201901900R. Epub 2020 Apr 4. PMID: 32246808

  • Inferior Vena Cava Ultrasound to Assess Intravascular Volume and Response to Ultrafiltration
    Vitamin D Deficiency and Effects of Treatment in CKD
    Diagnosing Adrenocortical Insufficiency in Critically Ill Patients
    Thyroid Hormone and Iodine Metabolism in Health and Disease and in Renal Failure Patients

    1. Kaptein, M.J., Kaptein, J.S., Nguyen, C.D, Oo, Z., Thwe, P.P, Thu, M.B., Kaptein, E.M. Changes in cardiac output with hemodialysis relate to net volume balance and to inferior vena cava ultrasound collapsibility in critically ill patients. Renal Failure 2020;42(1): 179-192. doi:10.1080/0886022X.2020.1726384, PMID: 32050836

  • Acute Renal Failure in Patients with Liver Failure
    Continuous Renal Replacement Therapy
    Renovascular Disease

    1. Angeli P, Garcia-Tsao G, Nadim MK, Parikh CR.J News in pathophysiology, definition and classification of hepatorenal syndrome: A step beyond the International Club of Ascites (ICA) consensus document. Hepatology. 2019 Oct;71(4):811-822. doi: 10.1016/j.jhep.2019.07.002. Epub 2019 Jul 11. PMID: 31302175 Review.
    2. Asrani SK, Jennings LW, Kim WR, Kamath PS, Levitsky J, Nadim MK, Testa G, Leise MD, Trotter JF, Klintmalm G. MELD-GRAIL-Na: Glomerular Filtration Rate and Mortality on Liver-Transplant Waiting List. Hepatology. 2020 May;71(5):1766-1774. doi: 10.1002/hep.30932. Epub 2020 Jan 29. PMID: 31523825
    3. Silver SA, Nadim MK, O’Donoghue DJ, Wilson FP, Kellum JA, Mehta RL, Ronco C, Kashani K, Rosner MH, Haase M, Lewington AJP Community Health Care Quality Standards to Prevent Acute Kidney Injury and Its Consequences. Am J Med. 2020 May;133(5):552-560.e3. doi: 10.1016/j.amjmed.2019.10.038. Epub 2019 Dec 10. PMID: 31830434 Review.

  • Chronic Renal Failure
    Renal Osteodystrophy
    Anemia
    Proteinuria
    Hypercoagulopathy Related to Nephritic Syndrome

  • Kidney and pancreas transplant
    Outcomes of Live donors
    Antibody mediated rejection
    Biomarkers in kidney transplant
    Recurrent glomerulonephritis in post kidney transplant recipients
    Malignancies in post-transplant recipients
    Onco-nephrology

  • Regulation of the vacuolar H+-ATPase (V-ATPase) in the male reproductive tract
    Regulation of Na+ transport in the collecting duct by bicarbonate-regulated sAC
    Regulation of the V-ATPase in the kidney collecting duct and proximal tubule by PKA and AMPK
    Regulation of the V-ATPase by Aurora Kinase A (AURKA) in kidney and breast malignancies
    Regulation of Aquaporin-2 (AQP2) by AMPK in the Kidney Collecting Duct
    Regulation of Epithelial Transport Proteins in Sepsis-induced AKI
    Regulation of Muc-1 in Kidney Epithelial Cells
    Regulation of Kidney Epithelial Apical Endocytosis by Flow
    Renal Salt Transport Regulation by WNK Kinases

    1. Rao R, Bhalla V, Pastor-Soler NM. Intercalated Cells of the Kidney Collecting Duct in Kidney Physiology. Semin Nephrol. 2019 Jul;39(4):353-367. doi: 10.1016/j.semnephrol.2019.04.005. PMID: 31300091
    2. Saitta B, Jalili MF, Zohoorkari H, Rao R, Hallows KR, Baty CJ, Pastor-Soler NM. Ex vivo kidney slice preparations as a model system to study signaling cascades in kidney epithelial cells. Methods Cell Biol. 2019;153:185-203. doi: 10.1016/bs.mcb.2019.04.017. PMID: 31395379
    3. Jin K, Ma Y, Manrique-Caballero CL, Li H, Emlet DR, Li S, Baty CJ, Wen X, Kim-Campbell N, Frank A, Menchikova EV, Pastor-Soler NM, Hallows KR, Jackson EK, Shiva S, Pinsky MR, Zuckerbraun BS, Kellum JA, Gómez H. Activation of AMP-activated protein kinase during sepsis/inflammation improves survival by preserving cellular metabolic fitness. FASEB J. 2020 May;34(5):7036-7057. doi: 10.1096/fj.201901900R. Epub 2020 Apr 4. PMID: 32246808

  • Estimation of Glomerular Filtration Rate in the Transplanted Kidney
    Neopterin as a Marker of BK Virus Nephropathy

    1. Berger SP, Sommerer C, Witzke O, Tedesco H, Chadban S, Mulgaonkar S, Qazi Y, de Fijter JW, Oppenheimer F, Cruzado JM, Watarai Y, Massari P, Legendre C, Citterio F, Henry M, Srinivas TR, Vincenti F, Gutierrez MPH, Marti AM, Bernhardt P, Pascual J; TRANSFORM investigators. Two-year outcomes in de novo renal transplant recipients receiving everolimus-facilitated calcineurin inhibitor reduction regimen from the TRANSFORM study. Am J Transplant. 2019 Nov;19(11):3018-3034. doi: 10.1111/ajt.15480. Epub 2019 Jul 1. PMID: 31152476
    2. Stites E, Kumar D, Olaitan O, John Swanson S, Leca N, Weir M, Bromberg J, Melancon J, Agha I, Fattah H, Alhamad T, Qazi Y, Wiseman A, Gupta G. High levels of dd-cfDNA identify patients with TCMR 1A and borderline allograft rejection at elevated risk of graft injury. Am J Transplant. 2020 Feb 13. doi: 10.1111/ajt.15822. PMID: 32056331
    3. Hogen R, Kim M, Lee Y, Lo M, Kaur N, Kahn J, Chopra S, Qazi Y, Sedra A, Kim J, O’Brien L, Genyk Y, Sher L, Emamaullee J. Liver Transplantation in Patients with Sickle Cell Disease in the United States. J Surg Res. 2020 Jun 12;255:23-32. doi: 10.1016/j.jss.2020.05.015. PMID: 32540577

  • Effect of Elevated Cytosolic Calcium on Cell Function
    Mechanisms of Heart Hypertrophy in Chronic Renal Failure
    Mechanisms Underlying the Uremic Syndrome
    Pancreatic Islets Transplantation for Treatment of Diabetic Nephropathy
    Role of Excess PTH in the Genesis of Uremia
    Hypertensive Nephrosclerosis in African- Americans (AASK Study)
    History of Nephrology
    BK Nephropathy in Post-Transplant Kidney

    1. Adler BL, Smogorzewski J, Sierro T, Shauly O, Osipchuk D, Miller M, Mert M, Fong MW, Ganesh S, Han H, In GK, Maw TT, Smogorzewski M, Hu J, Ngo B, Lee D, Ahronowitz I. Skin cancer and dermatoses in a majority-Hispanic population of solid organ transplant recipients. J Am Acad Dermatol. 2020 Aug;83(2):607-610. doi: 10.1016/j.jaad.2019.07.099. Epub 2019 Aug 7. PMID: 31400454
    2. Ku E, Sarnak MJ, Toto R, McCulloch CE, Lin F, Smogorzewski M, Hsu CY. Effect of Blood Pressure Control on Long-Term Risk of End-Stage Renal Disease and Death Among Subgroups of Patients With Chronic Kidney Disease. J Am Heart Assoc. 2019 Aug 20;8(16):e012749. doi: 10.1161/JAHA.119.012749. Epub 2019 Aug 14. PMID: 31411082
    3. Wei J, Johansen KL, McCulloch CE, Lipkowitz M, Weir M, Lin F, Campese VM, Smogorzewski M, Ku E. Association Between APOL1 Genotype and Need for Kidney Replacement Therapy in Patients Without Diabetes: Does Age Matter? Am J Kidney Dis. 2020 Feb;75(2):294-296. doi: 10.1053/j.ajkd.2019.08.017. Epub 2019 Dec 16. PMID: 31837887
    1. Lin E, Chertow GM, Bhattacharya J, Lakdawalla D. Early Delays in Insurance Coverage and Long-term Use of Home-based Peritoneal Dialysis. Med Care. 2020;58(7):632-642. doi:10.1097/MLR.0000000000001350
    2. Cheng J, Kim J, Bieber SD, Lin E. Four years into MACRA: What has changed? Semin Dial. 2020;33(1):26-34. doi:10.1111/sdi.12852
    3. Glickman A, Lin E, Berns JS. Conflicts of interest in dialysis: A barrier to policy reforms. Semin Dial. 2020;33(1):83-89. doi:10.1111/sdi.12848
    4. Erickson KF, Lin E, Winkelmayer WC. The dialysis care-policy issue: Guest Editors’ introductory remarks. Semin Dial. 2020;33(1):4. doi:10.1111/sdi.12859
    5. Khine A, Lin E. What the Comprehensive ESRD Care Program Tells Us About the Advancing American Kidney Health Initiative. Am J Kidney Dis. Published online June 17, 2020. doi:10.1053/j.ajkd.2020.05.011
    1. Bougioukli S, Saitta B, Sugiyama O, Tang AH, Elphingstone J, Evseenko, D, Lieberman JR. Lentiviral gene therapy for bone repair using human umbilical cord blood cells. Hum. Gene Ther. 30: 906-917, 2019. PMID: 30773946.
    2. Saitta B, Jalili MF, Zohoorkari H, Rao R, Hallows KR, Baty CJ, Pastor-Soler NM. Ex Vivo Kidney Slice Preparations as a Model System to Study Signaling Cascades in Kidney Epithelial Cells. Methods Cell Biol. 153, 185-203, 2019. PMID: 31395379.

  • Sapna Shah
    Neeraj Sharma
    Santhi Voora

USC/UKRO Kidney Research Center

The USC/UKRO Kidney Research Center (KRC) was named in Sept. 2012 with a gift pledge of $3.5 million from the University Kidney Research Organization (UKRO), a Los Angeles based philanthropic group. The onboarding of the new KRC Director, Kenneth R. Hallows, MD, PhD, who is an internationally recognized nephrology physician-scientist, brought the center into operation. The center has assembled a growing team of dedicated researchers, physician scientists, and administrative staff to explore acute kidney injury, hypertension, polycystic kidney disease, acid regulation, kidney cancer, and more.

Visit USC/UKRO’s official website

Basic Science Research

Division of Nephrology faculty are actively involved in both basic and clinical research. Within the KRC facilities, Dr. Hallows is studying the metabolic control of kidney epithelial salt and water transport mechanisms with relevance to hypertension, acute kidney injury and chronic kidney disease. He is also studying the role of metabolic changes in autosomal dominant polycystic kidney disease at various levels: (1) the molecular and cellular level using in vitro model systems and electrophysiological, molecular genetic, biochemical, and imaging techniques; (2) animal disease models using in vivo imaging and functional studies (e.g., of metabolism, metabolomics and proteomics); and (3) patient samples (analysis of urine to identify and evaluate novel biomarkers that inform on disease severity, prognosis and response to new therapies). Dr. Pastor-Soler is studying the molecular and cellular mechanisms by which metabolic pathways in the kidney are affected by acidosis, a known predictor of CKD progression. She is also studying renal cell carcinomas with the aim to confirm a novel biomarker that could be used clinically to assess the presence and severity of this disease. Dr. Campese has been studying the role of the sympathetic nervous system in hypertension associated with kidney disease as well as essential hypertension. He is also involved in studying the role of renal denervation or baroreceptor stimulation in patients with resistant hypertension. Other faculty have a variety of clinical protocols dealing with diabetic nephropathy, bone disease, progression of kidney disease, kidney transplantation, vitamin deficiency in chronic kidney disease, end-stage renal disease, transplantation and nutrition in patients with acute kidney injury.

Honors & Awards

    • Baltimore PKD Core Center Pilot Grant Award
    • U.S. Department of Defense Investigator-Initiated Research Award
    • U.S. Department of Defense Clinical Trial Award
    • NIH R01 DK075048 Grant Award
    • Faculty Teaching Award, Keck School of Medicine
    • Wright Foundation Pilot Grant Award