Interim Chief’s Message

Northwestern Nephrology and Hypertension

Since 2013, the Division of Nephrology and Hypertension has experienced substantial growth in clinical care, research and education. Existing programs, including chronic kidney disease, kidney transplantation and pediatric to adult transition programs, have experienced growth and expansion. Recruitment of new clinical faculty has promoted clinical excellence in Glomerular Diseases, Onconephrology, and Home Dialysis therapies. Recruitment of new research faculty, growth of local scientific talent with support from T32 and TL1 grants, and promotion of new cross-disciplinary collaborations through the O’Brien Center have expanded the scope and impact of the Division’s research. The Division’s commitment to education of medical students, residents and fellows has remained strong. Our faculty regularly receive teaching awards, and fellowship program directors have been highly responsive to calls for innovation in nephrology training. 

Clinical Programs

Below is a brief description of select clinical programs. For a more comprehensive list, please see Nephrology | Northwestern Medicine.

 Our Program for Glomerular Diseases is designed to provide easy access to clinical trials for all forms of glomerular disease and partners with established world-class lupus and vasculitis programs in the Division of Rheumatology.

We offer dedicated care for patients with cancer and kidney disorders through our Onconephrology Program. Oncologists and hematologists collaborate with nephrologists to efficiently manage challenging kidney disorders while patients receive bone marrow transplants, chemotherapy, and novel immunotherapies/targeted therapies.  

We offer peritoneal and home hemodialysis therapies at a stand-alone clinic located within the downtown campus. A dedicated team of nurses, patient care technicians, social workers, dieticians, patient advocates, nephrologists, and support staff offer world-class care to empower patients to perform dialysis safely from the comfort of their homes. Excellent pre-dialysis education, in-depth training, close follow-up, remote monitoring, and innovative strategies have allowed the program to demonstrate exceptional patient-centered care and quality performance. It is one of the country's most extensive home dialysis programs and attracts nephrology fellows to join our division to advance their knowledge/skills of a therapy increasingly favored by CMS.

Our kidney transplant program has consistently been one of the highest volumes in the nation and currently has the best outcomes of any center in the area. We offer an innovative living donor program and minimally invasive donor surgeries. The transplant team at Northwestern has pioneered the induction of tolerance to avoid the need for long term immunosuppressive medications. To improve post-transplant care, Northwestern investigators have also discovered novel biomarker tests to make post-transplant care more personalized and less invasive. The Northwestern Medicine Transplant Team has also led the way in providing access to all who need a transplant. Our Hispanic Transplant Program (HTP), African American Transplant Access Program (AATAP), and Northwestern International Transplant Exchange (NITE), highlight our commitment to ensuring equity and access to care.

 Research Programs 

The research in the Division spans the translational spectrum and covers many kidney diseases, leverages cross-disciplinary and multi-institutional collaborations and fosters scientific development among young investigators through hands-on mentorship. Please visit our dedicated research and research training websites to learn more:  

Feinberg Cardiovascular & Renal Research Institute

Center for Translational Metabolism and Health: Feinberg School of Medicine

Chicago KUH FORWARD: Feinberg School of Medicine

Education

We are excited to offer fellowship positions to outstanding applicants interested in receiving comprehensive clinical training in general nephrology, glomerular diseases and transplant nephrology fellowship.  Fellows interested in research are encouraged to apply to the U2C/TL1-funded Chicago KUH FORWARD research training program.