Karen A Griffin, MD

Dr. Griffin is a Professor of Medicine (Nephrology) at the Stritch School of Medicine, Loyola University and Renal Section Chief at the Edward Hines, Jr. V.A. Dr. Griffin received her medical degree from Rush University in Chicago, and subsequently completed her internal medicine residency and clinical/research fellowship in nephrology at Rush. As a clinician, she is primarily focused on hypertension and kidney disease and has been director of the Loyola University American Heart Association’s Designated Comprehensive Hypertension Center and has been recognized as a U.S. News and World Reports Top Doctor. Her research focus has been on the role of hypertension on the progression of chronic kidney disease and the impact of altered hemodynamics in the development and progression of diabetic and obesity-related nephropathies. She has received research funding from the NIH and Merit Review and published more than 80 articles, invited reviews and book chapters. Dr. Griffin has served as chair of the Joint Biomedical Laboratory Research and Development and Clinical Science Research and Development Services of the Scientific Merit Review Board; the VA Merit Review Renal Study Section; and National Kidney Foundation of Illinois, Research committees. Additionally, she has served as a reviewer for several NIH study sections and been a member of several editorial boards and associate-editor of the ASN Nephrology Self-Assessment Program. She is currently Chair of the American Heart Association’s Council on Hypertension and Guest Editor of the journal Hypertension. She has served as a member of the American Society of Nephrology’s Hypertension Advisory Group. Dr. Griffin is a recipient of the American Medical Women's Association Awards for Leadership and Academic Excellence, The Student’s Choice Award at the Medical College of Wisconsin, the Arthur C. Corcoran Memorial Lecture of the American Heart Association Hypertension Council, and the Lois T. Ellison Lecture of the Medical College of Georgia.