The Chronic Kidney Disease Clinical Research Hub at Penn/CHOP

The Chronic Kidney Disease Clinical Research Hub at Penn/CHOP is a dynamic collaborative initiative that serves as a nexus for pivotal studies aimed at understanding and combating chronic kidney disease (CKD). By uniting a range of specialized research projects under one virtual roof, the Hub facilitates an integrated approach to CKD research, with a focus on impactful outcomes that can inform clinical practice and policy.

The Chronic Kidney Disease Clinical Research Hub

Overall Summary

The Research Hub synthesizes the efforts of several groundbreaking studies:

  • The Chronic Renal Insufficiency Cohort (CRIC) Study delves into the long-term effects of CKD, exploring a wide spectrum of risk factors and their impact on disease progression. The study's innovative use of remote data capture technologies enhances its in-depth phenotyping capabilities. The CRIC Research Network began the design of the study in 2001 under funding from NIH NIDDK (NIDDK-CRIC website) and has been extended until 2026. This study is led by:
Laura M Dember, MD
Debbie Cohen, MBBCH
Jordana B. Cohen, MD, MSCE
Wei (Peter) Yang, Ph.D.
Jesse Hsu, PhD, MS
Dawei Xie, PhD

 

 

 

 

 

 

  

  • The Chronic Kidney Disease in Children (CKiD) Study represents a concerted effort to unravel the intricacies of CKD in the pediatric population. By examining the risk factors for kidney function decline and its repercussions on overall health, CKiD provides invaluable insights into the pediatric aspect of CKD (website). This study is led by:
Susan Furth, MD, PhD
Michelle Denburg, MD, MSCE
Jarcy Zee, PhD

 

 

 

 

 


 

  • The TRIDENT Study is at the forefront of the battle against diabetic kidney disease. In patients with diabetes, having diabetic-related kidney disease (or diabetic nephropathy) strongly correlates with increased risk of death. Despite improvements in medical care, the risk of progressing to end-stage kidney failure requiring dialysis or kidney transplant remains increased in diabetic patients. This initiative blends patient partnership with advanced molecular analysis to pave the way for new therapeutics that could halt the progression of diabetic nephropathy (website). This study is led by:
Katalin Susztak, MD, PhD
Michelle Denburg, MD, MSCE
Gaia Coppock, MD
Raymond R. Townsend, MD
Matthew B. Palmer, MD, PhD
Mingyao Li, PhD 

 


 

 

 

 

       

  • The NEPTUNE Study concentrates on rare kidney diseases that manifest as Nephrotic Syndrome. FSGS, MCD, and MN are rare kidney diseases that are common causes of nephrotic syndrome. Nephrotic syndrome occurs when there is a problem with the kidney filtering system causing bloodstream proteins to leak into the urine. The NEPTUNE study (website) aims to expand our understanding of these conditions and how they affect individuals across the lifespan.​ This study is led by:​​​​​​ 
Lawrence B. Holzman, MD
Jarcy Zee, PhD


 

 

 

 

 

 

  • The CureGN Study casts a wide net, observing a large cohort with various glomerular diseases. It focuses on the natural history of these conditions, with an emphasis on patient-centered outcomes and community building. CureGN is funded by the National Institute of Diabetes and Digestive and Kidney Diseases (NIDDK) (website). Since 2014, CureGN represents one of the largest observational cohort studies of adults and children with glomerular diseases and has continued to gain valuable information to better understand the cause of disease, response to therapy, and disease progression of glomerular diseases.
    This study is led by:
Lawrence B. Holzman, MD
Gaia Coppock, MD


 

 

 

 

 

 

  • The CKD Biomarker Consortium is a testament to the power of interdisciplinary collaboration, seeking to identify and validate biomarkers that could revolutionize CKD diagnosis and management. The NIDDK CKD Biomarkers Consortium brings together investigators whose expertise includes clinical nephrology, epidemiology, molecular biology, genomics, proteomics, metabolomics, systems biology, laboratory medicine, biostatistics, and laboratory test verification and qualification (website). This study is led by:
Sarah Schrauben, MD, MSCE
Dawei Xie, PhD
Haochang Shou, PhD

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

  • Penn Medicine's Glomerular Diseases Clinic offers complete care for patients with all types of glomerular disease. Our clinical expertise for these rare diseases is among the best in the nation. Using a multidisciplinary approach, our physicians see extremely rare cases that are often difficult to treat, offering leading-edge care from experts who are the best in their field. Common glomerular diseases that cause inflammation of the glomeruli include: Lupus, Vasculitis, Goodpasture's syndrome, IgA nephropathy. There are other forms of glomerular disease that do not involve acute inflammation/Nephrotic syndrome:: Minimal Change Disease, FSGS, Membranous nephropathy. (website). This study is led by:
Abdallah Geara, MD
Gaia Coppock, MD
Ralph G. Nader, MD, FASN

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Collectively, these studies represent a robust assault on CKD. They seek not only to understand the disease's foundations but also to translate this knowledge into tangible benefits for patients worldwide. The Hub's dedication to knowledge dissemination and collaborative research synergy makes it a cornerstone of global efforts to improve CKD outcomes, shaping a future where CKD's burden is significantly reduced.