Fellowship Leadership Research

Dr. Kenneth Hallows, Nephrology Division Chief and Professor of Medicine, is studying the metabolic control of kidney epithelial salt and water transport mechanisms with relevance to hypertension, acute kidney injury, and chronic kidney disease. Dr. Hallows studies the role of metabolic changes in autosomal dominant polycystic kidney disease at multiple levels: 1) molecular and cellular level using in vitro model systems and electrophysiological, molecular genetics, biochemical, and imaging techniques, 2) animal disease models using in vivo imaging and functional studies, and 3) patient samples.

Dr. Nuria Pastor-Soler, Associate Professor of Medicine, is studying molecular and cellular mechanisms by which metabolic pathways in the kidney are affected by acidosis, a known predictor of CKD progression. Dr. Pastor-Soler also studies renal cell carcinomas with the aim to confirm a novel biomarker that could be used clinically to assess the presence and severity of the disease.

Dr. Eugene Lin, Assistant Professor of Medicine, is a health services researcher with a focus on economic policies pertaining to nephrology. His research interests are in cost-effectiveness and assessing the impact of financial incentives on patient outcomes.

Dr. Zhong Wei Li, Assistant Professor of Medicine and Stem Cell Biology and Regenerative Medicine, studies ways to build transplantable kidneys. His research combines state-of-the-art stem cell technologies and engineering methodologies and aims to bridge basic studies of kidney organogenesis and translational applications of stem/progenitor cell-based kidney regeneration and disease modeling, with the long-term goal of rebuilding the kidney.

To learn more about what our other faculty are researching, please click on their names below:

Arshia Ghaffari, DO Mitra Nadim, MD, FASN
Elaine Kaptein, MD Saeid Nosrati, MD
Yasir Qazi, MD Miroslaw Smogorzewski, MD, PhD
Hui Yi Shan, MD
Thin Thin Maw, MD, MBBS

To learn more about the Division of Nephrology’s research, please visit the USC/UKRO Kidney Research Center and UKRO Charity website. For inquiries about Division of Nephrology research, please email the Program Director, Dr. Hui Yi Shan at huiyi.shan@med.usc.edu.

Areas of Basic & Translational Research:

• Mechanisms of Hypertension

• Kidney Stem Cell and Regenerative Medicine

• Acute Kidney Injury

• Acid Regulation and its role in CKD

• Polycystic Kidney Disease

• Metabolomic Biomarkers

• Kidney Cancer

• Noradrenergic Control of Blood Pressure in Kidney Disease

Areas of Clinical Research:

• Testing of Novel Therapeutics in Polycystic Kidney Disease

• Mechanisms & Management of Vascular Calcifications in Dialysis Patients

• Health Economics of Kidney Disease

• Urgent-Start Peritoneal Dialysis

• Detection & Management of Cardiovascular Disease in Dialysis Patients

• Prevention of Progressive Renal Disease in African-Americans

• New Experimental Therapeutics in Kidney Transplantation

• Enhancing Assessment of Intravascular Volume and Response to Ultrafiltration in Critically Ill Patients

Highlights

Some of our Highlighted Publications from the past few years are:

• 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

• 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

• 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

• 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

• 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

• 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

• 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

• Francipane MG, Han B, Oxburgh L, Sims-Lucas S, Li Z, Lagasse E. Kidney-in-a-lymph node: A novel organogenesis assay to model human renal development and test nephron progenitor cell fates. J Tissue Eng Regen Med. 2019 Sep;13(9):1724-1731. doi: 10.1002/term.2924. Epub 2019 Jul 30. PMID: 31267702

• Huang B, Liu Z, Vonk A, Zeng Z, Li Z. Epigenetic regulation of kidney progenitor cells. Stem Cells Transl Med. 2020 Jun;9(6):655-660. doi: 10.1002/sctm.19-0289. Epub 2020 Mar 12. PMID: 32163228

• Tsujimoto H, Kasahara T, Sueta SI, Araoka T, Sakamoto S, Okada C, Mae SI, Nakajima T, Okamoto N, Taura D, Nasu M, Shimizu T, Ryosaka M, Li Z, Sone M, Ikeya M, Watanabe A, Osafune K. A Modular Differentiation System Maps Multiple Human Kidney Lineages from Pluripotent Stem Cells. Cell Rep. 2020 Apr 7;31(1):107476. doi: 10.1016/j.celrep.2020.03.040. PMID: 32268094

• 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

• 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

• 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

• 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

• Truong T, Dittmar M, Ghaffari A, Lin E. Policy and Pandemic: The Changing Practice of Nephrology During the COVID-19 Outbreak. Adv Chronic Kidney Dis. Published online June 24, 2020. doi:10.1053/j.ackd.2020.06.003

• 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.

• 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

• 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.

• 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

• 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

• 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

• 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

• 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

• 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

• 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.

• 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.

• 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

• 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

• 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

• Francoz C, Durand F, Kahn JA, Genyk YS, Nadim MK. Heptatorenal Syndrome. Clin J Am Soc Nephrol. 14(5):774-781, 2019.

• Lin E, Bhattacharya J, Chertow GM. Prior Hospitalization Burden and the Relatedness of 30-Day Readmissions in Patients Receiving Hemodialysis. J Am Soc Nephrol. 30(2):323-335, 2019.

Other Division Accomplishments include:

• Launched only current investigator-initiated clinical drug trial at the Keck School of Medicine

• Record number of living donor and overall kidney transplants in 2018

• Faculty received Outstanding Year II Course Award for Renal Systems Course

Honors and Awards:

Vito Campese, MD

• Ordine Della Stella D’Italiano (Order of the Star of Italy)

Zhongwei Li, PhD

• Dean’s Pilot Grant Award

Eugene Lin, MD

• Guest Editor for Seminars in Dialysis (Dialysis Care Policy Issue)

• Zumberge Diversity and Inclusion Award

Yan Zhong, MD

• Awarded One Legacy and UKRO Foundation Grants