Clinical Research

Introduction

Clinical Research Program in Nephrology and Hypertension
The clinical research program is directed by Dr. Myles Wolf and focused on a variety of aspects of renal physiology, pathophysiology and outcomes that complement and integrate with the efforts of the Miami Institute of Renal Medicine. Particular areas of interest include renal manifestations of systemic lupus erythematosus and their optimal management; vascular biology with a special emphasis on vascular access for dialysis and related interventional nephrology research, both physiological and outcomes; hypertension, including detailed physiological studies on the renin angiotensin system in kidney disease and in health, and epidemiological studies of hypertension and its impact on minorities; health and outcomes of kidney transplant donors; and abnormalities in bone and mineral metabolism across the spectrum of kidney disease with special emphasis on calcium, phosphorus, vitamin D, klotho and fibroblast growth factor-23 metabolism in both small physiological studies and large epidemiological outcomes studies.

Our group is involved in a variety of investigator-initiated and multi-center studies supported by both government and industry. We are actively participating in single- and multi-center clinical trials along with many observational studies. We have forged collaborations with national multi-center NIH efforts such as the AASK and CRIC studies and many of our faculty are or have served as Principal Investigators on NIH and foundation grants. Given the population served by the University of Miami, we have a particular interest in understanding the potential physiological basis of the well-known racial and ethnic disparities in clinical outcomes in patients with kidney disease. With a well-developed research infrastructure and many ongoing studies and available mentors, we encourage students, residents and fellows interested in clinical research in nephrology to inquire about mentored opportunities in our Division.