Loyola University Medical Center

Gottlieb Memorial Hospital

MacNeal Hospital

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Research Requirements and Opportunities

Information

Research is a required component of the training program. Fellows have protected time during designated research rotations.

The goals of this requirement are to give fellows an appreciation of the scientific method, the design and conduct of a research project, the analysis of data and, where applicable, the requirements for research involving humans (IRB and the informed consent process) and/or animals (IACUC training).

Abstracts/Posters/Presentations

  1. Sethupathi P, Polichnowski A, Griffin KA, Bidani A, Williamson G, McAlexander A, Finman J, Willette RM and Jorkasky DK: Additive Renoprotective Effects of Angiotensin Converting Enzyme Inhibition and Nitro Fatty Acid (CXA-10) Combination. Presented at the American Society of Nephrology annual meetings in Washington, DC, November 2019.
  2. Griffin KA, Williamson GA, Sethupathi P, Benardeau AG, Schomber T, Eitner F, Bidani AK:  Renal hemodynamic effects of sGC activation vs ACE inhibition in a CKD model in conscious rats.  Presented at the American Society of Nephrology annual meetings in Washington, DC, November 2019.
  3. Griffin KA, Sethupathi S, Sheikh S, Williamson GA, Kraehling JR, Benardeau AM, Eitner F, Bidani AK:  Renoprotective effects of sGC activation vs ACE inhibition in a CKD model with volume/salt dependent hypertension.   Presented at the American Society of Nephrology annual meetings in San Diego, CA, November 2021.
  4. Griffin KA, Polichnowski A, Williamson G, Bidani AK:  Real-time dynamics of renal autoregulatory responses to BP changes in conscious, normotensive and hypertensive rat strains.  Experimental Biology annual meetings in Philadelphia, PA, April 2022.
  5. Polichnowski AJ, Griffin KA, Williamson GA, Bidani AK:  A high salt diet does not alter the kinetics or the magnitude of renal blood flow autoregulation in conscious salt-resistant and salt-sensitive rats. Experimental Biology annual meetings in Philadelphia, PA, April 2022.
  6. Polichnowski AJ, Alphonse S, Chopde PR, Williamson GA, Bidani AK, Griffin KA:  Novel analytical approaches to assess renal autoregulation in conscious rats.  APS-ASN Control of Renal Function in Health and Disease Conference 2022.
  7. Williamson GA, Chopde PR, Alphonse S, Polichnowski AJ, Griffin KA:  Renal Autoregulation Assessment in Conscious Rats Using Deep Learning Networks.  Presented at the American Society of Nephrology annual meetings in Orlando, FL 2022.
  8. Polichnowski AJ, Chivers JM, Wright MH, Vogel BL, Phillips T, Picken MM, Chopde PR, Williamson GA, Griffin KA:  Sex differences in renal hemodynamics, autoregulation and hypertensive renal injury in rats.  Presented at Am Phys Soc Summit meetings 2023.
  9. Arif H, Leehey DJ.  Transient Hyporeninemic Hypoaldosteronism with Renal Salt Wasting: An Unusual Presentation.  ASN Annual Meetings, 2017.
  10. Kramer HJ, Boucher RE, Wei G, Greene T, Leehey DJ, Fried LF, Rosas SE, Beddhu S.  Mortality in Diabetic Adults with Low eGFR in the Absence of Increased Urine Albumin Excretion Is Increasing.  ASN Annual Meetings, 2017.
  11. Barnes S, Leehey D, Schneider J, Burge N.  Use of Patiromer for Long-Term Management of Hyperkalemia in an ESRD Patient. ASN Annual Meeting, 2018.
  12. Leehey DJ, Craig I, Reda D, Carlson K, Conner TA, Agarwal R, Kaufman JS, Anderson R, Huang GD, Emanuele, N.  Design of Pentoxifylline in Diabetic Kidney Disease (VA PTXRx).  ASN Annual Meetings, 2018.
  13. Leehey DJ, Craig I, Reda D, Carlson K, Conner TA, Agarwal R, Kaufman JS, Anderson R, Huang GD, Emanuele, N.  Pentoxifylline in Diabetic Kidney Disease (VA PTXRx).  ASN Annual Meetings, 2019.
  14. Mahmood S, Mazhari A, Emanuele N, Leehey DJ.  Graves Disease and Nephrotic Syndrome.  ASN Annual Meetings, 2020.
  15. Leehey DJ, Picken MM, Rahman MA.  AKI associated with semaglutide.  ASN Annual Meetings, 2020
  16. Patel PM, Kandabarow A, Aiwerioghene E, Blanco-Martinez E, Hart S, Leehey DJ, Farooq A, Baldea K, Turk T.   Proton-Pump Inhibitors Are Associated with Decreased Urinary Citrate Excretion.  ASN Annual Meetings, 2020.
  17. Jamie Chin-Theodorou, Huda Arif, Kavitha Vellanki. Calcineurin inhibitor- induced pain syndrome after organ transplant- a severe disabling syndrome. Am Soc of Nephrology Annual Meeting 2017
  18. Ari Seifter, Arouna Senthilkumar, Holly J Kramer, Sucha Nand, Kavitha Vellanki. Normal Serum Free Kappa-Lambda Light Chain Ratio in AL Amyloidosis: A single center experience. Am Soc of Nephrology Annual Meeting 2018
  19. Chandra kanth Chaturvedula, Sri Mahathi kalipatnapu, Kavitha Vellanki - Thrombotic Microangiopathies involving the kidney – A clinical conundrum. Am Soc of Nephrology Annual Meeting 2019 (Abstract)
  20. Julie A Misner, Max Liebo, Kavitha Vellanki. CardioMEMS and Peritoneal Dialysis: Synchronizing data to provide patient centered care at home –A road to the future. Am Society of Nephrology Annual Meeting 2021 (Abstract)
  21. Xin Zhang , Song Liu , Kamran Mirza , Maria M. Picken , Vinod K. Bansal , Kavitha Vellanki. Plasma cell leukemia masquerading as acute myeloid leukemia: an unusual clinical presentation. Am Society of Nephrology Annual Meeting 2022
  22. Chelsea Gertze, Maria Picken, Kavitha Vellanki. Clinching the Diagnosis: A Case of B Cell Lymphoma diagnosed on Kidney Biopsy. Am Society of Nephrology Annual Meeting 2022 (Poster)
  23. Abdul Rasheed Hannan, Kavitha Vellanki, David Leehey. Hyponatremia in a Patient with Vasodilatory Shock due to Overdose of Antihypertensive Medications. City Wide Grand Rounds – NKF Illinois Chapter, 2022

Fellow Research

  • Juan Cintron Garcia, MD (2022-2024): Medication Reconciliation in Dialysis Dependent Veterans at Edward Hines VA Hospital – A Qualitive Improvement Initiative
  • Aseel Zyhager (2022-2024): Promoting High Quality Goals of Care Conversations Among Veterans Referred for Dialysis Education: A Quality Improvement Study
  • Danish Waqar (2022-2024): Validation of Single Chain Variable Fragment (svFV) Antibody for the Treatment of Genetic Desminopathy. Awarded Loyola University Chicago CVRI James DePauw Pilot Grant 2019

Active Clinical Research

 

Clinical Research – Loyola University Medical Center

TITLE

SPONSOR

PI

A Phase 3 Prospective, Randomized, Multi-Center, Open-Label, Controlled Trial to Assess the Efficacy and Safety of Cellular Immunotherapy with MDR-101 for Induction of Immune Tolerance in Recipients of HLA-Matched, Living Donor Kidney Transplants

Medeor Therapeutics

Akkina

The PROspera Kidney Transplant ACTIVE Rejection Assessment registry (ProActive) study

Natera

Akkina

REGISTRATION: SMART IRB: APOL1 Long-term Kidney Transplantation Outcomes Network (APOLLO)

NIH/Wake Forest University Health Sciences

Jain

OUTCOMES OF KIDNEYCARE ON RENAL ALLOGRAFTS (OKRA)

CareDx

Jain

TruGraf® Long-term Clinical Outcomes Study (TRULO Study)

Transplant Genomics, Inc.

Sodhi

The PROspera Kidney Transplant ACTIVE Rejection Assessment (ProActive) Ancillary Study and Sample Biobank

Natera

Akkina

FALCON (402-C-1808) A PHASE 3 TRIAL OF THE EFFICACY AND SAFETY OF BARDOXOLONE METHYL IN PATIENTS WITH AUTOSOMAL DOMINANT POLYCYSTIC KIDNEY DISEASE

Reata Pharmaceuticals

Vellanki

A PHASE III, RANDOMIZED, OPEN-LABEL ACTIVE COMPARATOR CONTROLLED MULTICENTER STUDY TO EVALUATE EFFICACY AND SAFETY OF OBINUTUZUMAB IN PATIENTS WITH PRIMARY MEMBRANOUS NEPHROPATHY

Roche Pharmaceuticals

Kramer

Efficacy and safety of GMRx2 (a single pill combination containing telmisartan/amlodipine/indapamide) compared to dual combinations for the treatment of hypertension: An international, multi-center, randomized, double-blind, active-controlled, parallel-group trial (GMHT305 PLACEBO Trial)

George Health

Kramer

COMPLETED - PENDING CLOSE OUT – Loyola University Medical Center

Use of dd-cfDNA in Multi-Organ Transplant Rejection Detection (MOTR)

Natera

Akkina

Evaluation of patient outcomes from the kidney allograft outcomes allosure registry (KOAR)

CareDx

Jain

ICON Study 4690/0002, AlloVir Phase 2 Study in Patients with BK Viremia in Kidney Transplant Recipients 07/09/2021, NEW TITLE: : Phase 2 multicenter, randomized, double-blind, placebo-controlled, multiple dosing interval, 3-period study of the safety, tolerability and effectiveness of adoptively transferred ALVR105 (Viralym-M) multivirus-specific T cells in kidney transplant recipients with either high or low levels of BK viremia (P-105-201)

Icon

Jain

Prognostic Ability of dd-cfDNA in Renal Allograft Patients with COVID-19

PI initiated

Akkina

 

ACTIVE STUDIES – Edward Hines VA Hospital

TITLE

SPONSOR

PI

VA Cooperative Study 2008.  Pentoxifylline in diabetic kidney disease.

VA Cooperative Study Program

National Chair – Leehey

Site PI - Vellanki

The Feasibility of Designing a Veteran-Centric Physical Activity Intervention in a Frail Veteran Hemodialysis Population

Serwa Grant, Hines VA Geriatric Frailty grant

Wadhwa

Co-PI: Samra

Publications

  1. Griffin KA, Bansal VK. In Memoriam: Anil K. Bidani, MD. Hypertension; 2022 Nov;79(11):2383-2384
  2. Kramer H, Boucher RE, Leehey D, Fried L, Wei G, Greene T, Rosas SE, Cooper R, Cao G, Beddhu S.  Increasing Mortality in Adults With Diabetes and Low Estimated Glomerular Filtration Rate in the Absence of Albuminuria.  Diabetes Care. 2018 Apr;41(4):775-781.
  3. Kramer H, Kuffel G, Thomas-White K, Wolfe AJ, Vellanki K, Leehey DJ, Bansal VK, Brubaker L, Flanigan R, Koval J, Wadhwa A, Zilliox MJ.  Diversity of the midstream urine microbiome in adults with chronic kidney disease.  Int Urol Nephrol. 2018 Jun;50(6):1123-1130.
  4. Markossian TW, Kramer HJ, Burge NJ, Pacold IV, Leehey DJ, Huo Z, Schneider J, Ling B, Stroupe KT.  Statin use among Veterans with dialysis-dependent chronic kidney disease.  Hemodial Int. 2019 Apr;23(2):206-213.
  5. Markossian TW, Kramer HJ, Burge NJ, Pacold IV, Leehey DJ, Huo Z, Schneider J, Ling B, Stroupe KT.  Low statin use in nondialysis-dependent chronic kidney disease in the absence of clinical atherosclerotic cardiovascular disease or diabetes.  Clin Kidney J. 2019 Jan 27;12(4):530-537.
  6. Patel PM, Kandabarow AM, Aiwerioghene E, Blanco-Martinez E, Hart S, Leehey DJ, Farooq A, Baldea KG, Turk TMT.  Proton-pump inhibitors associated with decreased urinary citrate excretion.  Int Urol Nephrol. 2021 Apr;53(4):679-683.
  7. Leehey DJ, Carlson K, Reda DJ, Craig I, Clise C, Conner TA, Agarwal R, Kaufman JS, Anderson RJ, Lammie D, Huminik J, Polzin L, McBurney C, Huang GD, Emanuele NV.  Pentoxifylline in diabetic kidney disease (VA PTXRx): protocol for a pragmatic randomised controlled trial.  BMJ Open. 2021 Aug 16;11(8):e053019.
  8. Kalantar-Zadeh K, Crowley ST, Beddhu S, Chen JLT, Daugirdas JT, Goldfarb DS, Jin A, Kovesdy CP, Leehey DJ, Moradi H, Navaneethan SD, Norris KC, Obi Y, O'Hare A, Shafi T, Streja E, Unruh ML, Vachharajani TJ, Weisbord S, Rhee CM.Renal Replacement Therapy and Incremental Hemodialysis for Veterans with Advanced Chronic Kidney Disease. Semin Dial. 2017 May;30(3):251-261.
  9. Leehey DJ.  Magnesium homeostasis in CKD.  Adv Chronic Kidney Dis 2018; 25(3): 222-223.
  10. Leehey DJ.  Targeting Inflammation in Diabetic Kidney Disease: Is There a Role for Pentoxifylline? Kidney360. 2020; Feb 28;1(4):292-299.
  11. Kohn OF, Lew SQ, Wong s S-M, Sam R, Chen H-C, Raiman JG, Leehey DJ, Tzamaloukas AH, Ing TS.  Using herbs medically without knowing their composition: are we playing Russian roulette?  Alternative Med 2021.
  12. Leehey DJ, Rahman MA, Borys E, Picken MM, Clise CE.  Acute Kidney Injury Associated With Semaglutide.  Kidney Med. 2021;https://doi.org/10.1016/j.xkme.2020.10.008
  13. Kohn OF, Lew SQ, Wong SS, Sam R, Chen HC, Raimann JG, Leehey DJ, Tzamaloukas AH, Ing TS.   Using herbs medically without knowing their composition: are we playing Russian roulette?  Curr Med Res Opin 2022 May;38(5):847-852.
  14. Kramer HJ, Townsend RR, Griffin K, Flynn JT, Weiner DE, Rocco MV, Choi MJ, Weir MR, Chang TI, Agarwal R, Beddhu S. KDOQI US Commentary on the 2017 ACC/AHA Hypertension Guideline. Am J Kidney Dis. 2019 Apr;73(4):437-458
  15. Hicken MT, Katz R, Crews DC, Kramer HJ, Peralta CA. Neighborhood Social Context and Kidney Function Over Time: The Multi-Ethnic Study of Atherosclerosis. Am J Kidney Dis 2019 May;73(5):585-595.
  16. Rathi N, Whelton PK, Chertow GM, Cushman WC, Cheung AK, Wei G, Boucher R, Kimmel PL, Bress AP, Kramer HJ, Al-Marji C, Greene T, Beddhu S.Am J Hypertens. Nov 15;32(12):1170-1177s; 2019.
  17. Drawz PE, Beddhu S, Kramer HJ, Rakotz M, Rocco MV, Whelton PK. Blood Pressure Measurement: A KDOQI Perspective. Am J Kidney Dis. 2020 Mar;75(3):426-434
  18. Scialla JJ, Kendrick J, Uribarri J, Kovesdy CP, Gutiérrez OM, Jimenez EY, Kramer HJ. State-of-the-Art Management of Hyperphosphatemia in Patients With CKD: An NKF-KDOQI Controversies Perspective. Am J Kidney Dis. 2021 Jan;77(1):132-141.
  19. Markossian TW, Boyda J, Taylor J, Etingen B, Modave F, Price R, Kramer HJ. A Mobile App to Support Self-management of Chronic Kidney Disease: Development Study. JMIR Hum Factors. 2021 Dec 15;8(4)
  20. Krepostman N, Kramer HJ. Anticoagulation for Stroke Prevention in Atrial Fibrillation. Am J Kidney Dis. 2022 Nov;80(5):561-563
  21. Kramer HJ, Jaar BG, Choi MJ, Palevsky PM, Vassalotti JA, Rocco MV; National Kidney Foundation Kidney Disease Outcomes Quality Initiative. An Endorsement of the Removal of Race From GFR Estimation Equations: A Position Statement From the National Kidney Foundation Kidney Disease Outcomes Quality Initiative. Am J Kidney Dis. 2022 Dec;80(6):691-696.
  22. Markossian TW, Samra MK, Huisingh-Scheetz M, Wadhwa A. Framework to reduce frailty in hemodialysis patients. Nephrol Dial Transplant. 2022 Jul 26;37(8):1396-1399
  23. Shukla AM, Cavanaugh KL, Wadhwa A, Crowley ST, Fried L. Basic Requirements for Improving Home Dialysis Utilization: Universal Access to Specialty Nephrology Care and Comprehensive Pre-ESKD Education. J Am Soc Nephrol. 2023 Jan 1;34(1):21-25
  24. Goldstein J, Dieter RS, Bansal V, Wieschhaus K, Dieter RS 2nd, Bontekoe E, Hoppensteadt D, Fareed J. Arterial-renal Syndrome in Patients with ESRD, a New Disease Paradigm. Clin Appl Thromb Hemost. 2022 Jan-Dec;28:10760296211072820.