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The Boston University Nephrology Section offers fellows exceptional opportunities to pursue research across the full spectrum of kidney science, supported by 19 NIH grants (2026). Our faculty also hold awards from the Department of Defense, the Department of Veterans Affairs, private foundations, and industry partners, reflecting the breadth of the section’s research enterprise. The section is one of the most scientifically productive nephrology divisions in the city of Boston based on funding and annual publications per core faculty member.<\/p>\n
Fellows interested in clinical research can train with established investigators in our Section, the Framingham Heart Study, the BU School of Public Health, and the BU Amyloidosis Center, gaining hands-on experience in study design, data analysis, and patient-oriented investigation.<\/p>\n
The section also has a long history of groundbreaking basic and translational research in glomerular disease, autoimmune disease, acute kidney injury, electrolyte disorders, uremic vascular disease, systemic amyloidosis, kidney cancer, cystic kidney disease, and kidney development and congenital kidney disease.<\/p>\n
Many of our former fellows have gone on to become established physician-scientists who lead independently funded research programs at BU and at institutions across the country. Their success reflects the section’s commitment to mentorship, protected research time, and the career development support fellows need to compete for their own funding.<\/p>\n
Research training can occur under following mechanisms:<\/p>\n
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Our active research laboratories and historical discoveries are described in detail below. Laboratories are listed in alphabetical order.<\/p>\n
\u00a0<\/u><\/strong><\/p>\n Clinical and Translational Research Labs <\/u><\/strong><\/p>\n Ilori Laboratory <\/strong><\/p>\n The Ilori\u00a0laboratory focuses on identifying and reducing health disparities in chronic kidney disease and other non-communicable diseases.\u00a0 Our work looks at etiologic factors and modifiers of CKD, with a special emphasis on the effect of diet, biomarkers, and genetics on CKD progression in both low and high-resource countries.\u00a0 We are interested in how precision medicine can be used to reduce health disparities in kidney disease (both within the US and globally).<\/p>\n Recent Publications and Current Funding: https:\/\/www.bumc.bu.edu\/medicine\/profile\/titilayo-ilori\/<\/a><\/p>\n <\/p>\n Rizzolo Laboratory <\/strong><\/p>\n The Rizzolo laboratory aims to improve kidney health education and outcomes for people with chronic kidney disease in groups disproportionately affected by the disease, especially those with a non-English language preference. Our research uses implementation science and qualitative methods to understand what patients need and value in health education and delivery, in order to co-design and test linguistically and culturally responsive education and care delivery strategies. Current projects include bilingual digital storytelling, peer support interventions, and patient preference elicitation tools. We work closely with patients, community members, and clinicians so that our findings translate into meaningful practice that with reduce health disparities and improve the lived experience for patients with kidney disease.<\/p>\n Recent Publications and Current Funding: https:\/\/www.bumc.bu.edu\/medicine\/profile\/katherine-rizzolo\/<\/a><\/p>\n \u00a0<\/strong><\/p>\n Schmidt Laboratory<\/strong><\/p>\n The Schmidt laboratory is committed to advancing care for patients with kidney disease by integrating both quantitative and qualitative research methodologies. Our group employs a multifaceted approach, harnessing the strengths of data science, epidemiology, and social science to drive better outcomes for those affected by kidney disease.<\/p>\n Recent Publications and Current Funding: https:\/\/www.bumc.bu.edu\/medicine\/profile\/insa-schmidt\/<\/a><\/p>\n <\/p>\n Verma Laboratory <\/strong><\/p>\n The\u00a0Verma\u00a0laboratory is dedicated to advancing cardiovascular\u2013kidney\u2013metabolic (CKM) health by integrating epidemiology, proteomics, and physiology to uncover the biological pathways driving kidney and heart disease progression. Our team uses a multifaceted approach, combining large-scale cohort analyses, translational studies, and precision-medicine tools to identify early markers, refine risk stratification, and discover novel therapeutic targets. We are equally committed to mentoring the next generation of physician\u2013scientists and fostering collaborative, interdisciplinary research.<\/p>\n Recent Publications and Current Funding: https:\/\/www.bumc.bu.edu\/medicine\/profile\/ashish-verma\/<\/a><\/p>\n <\/p>\n Waikar Laboratory <\/strong><\/p>\n The Waikar laboratory\u2019s overall goal is to improve the lives of our patients suffering from kidney disease through patient-oriented research. We use a highly collaborative and interdisciplinary approach to perform observational studies, biomarker discovery\/validation, clinical trials, and implementation research. Our research projects are purposefully wide ranging and address areas of importance to patient care. Major current projects include the NIH Kidney Precision Medicine Project<\/a> and research into novel biomarkers and therapeutic targets in AKI and CKD. Other ongoing studies include renal functional reserve; randomized controlled trials to improve the safety of hemodialysis and hemofiltration; optimal diagnostic testing in AKI and CKD; and optimizing care delivery in CKD and AKI.<\/p>\n Recent Publications and Current Funding: https:\/\/www.bumc.bu.edu\/medicine\/profile\/sushrut-waikar\/<\/a><\/p>\n Laboratory Website: https:\/\/sites.bu.edu\/waikarlab\/<\/a><\/p>\n \u00a0<\/strong><\/p>\n Basic Research Labs <\/u><\/strong><\/p>\n Beck \/ Salant Laboratory<\/strong><\/p>\n The Beck \/ Salant laboratory explores the immune basis of glomerular diseases and the mechanisms of podocyte injury. Pioneering work from this lab led to the identification of PLA2<\/sub>R (phospholipase A2<\/sub> receptor) as the major target antigen in membranous nephropathy in 2009 and THSD7A (thrombospondin type-1 domain-containing 7A) as a minor target antigen in membranous nephropathy in 2014. These discoveries are considered one of the most ground-breaking discoveries in nephrology in the last 20 years. In addition to basic research, this lab is also engaged in cutting-edge translational research using tissue samples and data from participants enrolled in the Nephrotic Syndrome Study Network (NEPTUNE) to better characterize molecular and genetic mechanisms of membranous nephropathy.<\/p>\n Recent Publications and Current Funding:<\/p>\n Dr. Laurence Beck: https:\/\/www.bumc.bu.edu\/medicine\/profile\/laurence-beck\/<\/a><\/p>\n Dr. David Salant: https:\/\/www.bumc.bu.edu\/camed\/profile\/david-salant\/<\/a><\/p>\n <\/p>\n Borkan Laboratory <\/strong><\/p>\n The Borkan laboratory investigates pathways that promote renal cell survival and minimize acute kidney injury (AKI) after a variety of clinical insults, including ischemia and nephrotoxin exposure. The lab focuses on signaling pathways that mediate renal cell death in order to interrupt them and preserve organ function. The lab is currently investigating nucleophosmin, a link between rapid AKI diagnostics and peptide-based therapeutics that interrupt protein-protein interaction and significantly reduce AKI severity. The state-of-the art genetic screening and computational tools are used to identify AKI signaling pathways during nephrotoxic antibiotic exposure.<\/p>\n Recent Publications and Current Funding: https:\/\/www.bumc.bu.edu\/camed\/profile\/steven-borkan\/<\/a><\/p>\n <\/p>\n Chitalia Laboratory <\/strong><\/p>\n The Chitalia laboratory focuses on understanding the post-translational modifications of proteins and their role in kidney failure and cancer-related vascular pathologies. The lab harnesses the power of research tools spanning various cellular and molecular biological models, animal models (zebrafish and mice), mass spectrometry, genomic analysis, computational methods, and machine learning techniques to develop a highly integrative platform to understand the molecular mechanisms that drive disease pathogenesis. The lab intends to gain a deeper understanding of pathobiology to help develop a theranostic platform in future.<\/p>\n Recent Publications and Current Funding: https:\/\/www.bumc.bu.edu\/camed\/profile\/vipul-chitalia\/<\/a><\/p>\n Laboratory Website: https:\/\/sites.bu.edu\/chitalialab\/<\/a><\/p>\n <\/p>\n Lu Laboratory <\/strong><\/p>\n The Lu laboratory focuses on basic science and translational research of kidney development, congenital anomalies of the kidney and urinary tract (CAKUT), podocyte biology and injury, pericyte biology and injury, and discovery of novel drug targets for patients with chronic kidney disease. The Lu lab studies novel therapeutics for nephrotic syndromes and is supported by the Department of Defense.<\/p>\n Recent Publications and Current Funding: https:\/\/www.bumc.bu.edu\/camed\/profile\/weining-lu\/<\/a><\/p>\n <\/p>\n Rifkin Laboratory <\/strong><\/p>\n The Rifkin laboratory aims to understand the pathobiology of systemic lupus erythematosus and lupus nephritis with the ultimate goal of identifying new therapeutic targets. Lab uses mouse models and in-vitro-systems as well as human cells and patients samples. Projects in the lab focuses on understanding the mechanisms and signaling pathways for the dendritic cell activation and determining the role of interferon regulatory factor 5 (IRF5) in lupus pathogenesis. In addition, the lab also collaborates with scientists in molecular cardiology and uses a novel mouse model to study the mechanisms of premature atherosclerosis seen in lupus.<\/p>\n Recent Publications and Current Funding: https:\/\/www.bumc.bu.edu\/virol-immunol-microbio\/people\/faculty\/ian-r-rifkin-md-phd\/<\/a><\/p>\n <\/p>\n Wei Laboratory <\/strong><\/p>\n The Wei laboratory explores the renal mechanisms of blood pressure regulation. The lab uses an interdisciplinary approach that integrates computational biology, cell and molecular biology, as well as renal and cardiovascular physiology to investigate the roles of Juxtaglomerular Apparatus (JGA) in the control of renal hemodynamics and systemic blood pressure. The overarching aim of this lab is to identify novel therapeutic targets and innovative treatment strategies for hypertension.<\/p>\n Recent Publications and Current Funding: https:\/\/www.bumc.bu.edu\/camed\/profile\/jin-wei\/<\/a><\/p>\n <\/p>\n Zhang Laboratory <\/strong><\/p>\n The Zhang laboratory studies the renal physiology and pathophysiology. The lab uses an integrative approach combining classical physiology & biophysics techniques, such as micropuncture and microperfusion, and cutting edge cell & molecular biology tools, such as single-cell RNA sequencing and genetically engineered animal models to address fundamental questions and explore potential translational targets for a variety of kidney disorders, including acute kidney injury, chronic kidney disease, and graft dysfunction following kidney transplantation.<\/p>\n Recent Publications and Current Funding: https:\/\/www.bumc.bu.edu\/medicine\/profile\/jie-zhang\/<\/a><\/p>\n \u00a0<\/strong><\/p>\n
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