WELCOME to the Division of Nephrology at the University of Virginia, a branch of internal medicine that is dedicated to the study and treatment of diverse disorders of the kidney. The Division together with the Center for Immunity, Inflammation and Regenerative Medicine consists of internists, health care providers, scientists and trainees working together to improve patient care. We foster commitment to local community and outreach activities as well as to leadership at the national and international level through clinical care, research and education. We invite you to explore our site to learn more about our history, our activities, and our physicians at UVA.
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Mark D. Okusa, M.D., FASN
Division Chief |
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| Areas of Focus
The Division's clinical activities include:
Rapid Access Kidney Service In response to growing demand for patient referral and to better serve our local community, we are launching a new rapid-access service for nephrology consultation. With kidney disease on the rise (20-40 million people in the U.S.), it is imperative that kidney specialists and primary care providers coordinate management so patients receive optimal care. We hope our new service will improve satisfaction and reduce the need for emergency department visits. Highlights:
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Basic Sciences
The Division of Nephrology and the newly-established Center for Immunity, Inflammation and Regenerative Medicine maintain an active research program funded by NIH grants to support basic and translation research in:
T32 Training Grant An NIH training grant on "Kidney Disease and Inflammation" focuses on training postdoctoral fellows in research. Twenty-nine faculty from various disciplines in the School of Medicine serve as faculty mentors. Clinical Sciences Clinical research activities under the direction of Dr. W. Kline Bolton, Director of the Nephrology Clinical Research Center, cover a broad range of topics funded by NIH and industry. The NCRC is housed next to the Division of Nephrology and consists of a full complement of administrative and clinical staff to carry out funded projects. |
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| Expanding Patient Volume
Established in 1967, the UVA kidney transplant program is one of the busiest in Virginia and the region. More than 1,500 kidney recipients, including high-risk candidates, have received their care here. We've seen dramatic growth over the past four years:
Innovative Programs Our transplant programs are multidisciplinary, with combined medical-surgical clinics and inpatient services. The renal program includes innovative translational research protocols and programs for ABO and cross-match incompatible transplants, altruistic live donation, and donor advocacy. An islet transplant program is underway and an FDA-approved islet isolation facility is operational. An active clinical research program in collaboration with pharmaceutical companies is also available. |
Fellowship Training
The fellowship training program, under the direction of Dr. Mitchell Rosner, accepts 4 clinical fellows each year. We offer two pathways to meet candidates' goals:
Our Research Track is now funded by an NIH T32 grant. Candidates can pursue training along several pathways to achieve the goal of becoming an independent investigator:
PostDoctoral Training Our postdoctoral training program is designed to prepare postdoctoral fellows for academic and/or clinical careers in the disciplines of nephrology and hypertension. We offer training opportunities in Clinical Nephrology and in Renal and Hypertension Research, both supported by an NIH training grant. Training in patient-oriented research is available through the Robert Wood Johnson Clinical Scholars Program. Fellows also have the opportunity to participate in the Investigative Medicine Program leading to a Ph.D. in either laboratory or patient-oriented research. |