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 Dear Colleagues,During Renal Week 2008, which takes place November 4-9 in Philadelphia, PA, ASN will present five awards to recognize individuals who have made substantial contributions to the discipline of nephrology. The Society extends its congratulations to Homer Smith Awardee Peter C. Harris, PhD, John Peters Awardee Robert J. Alpern, MD, Young Investigator Awardee S. Ananth Karumanchi, MD, Belding Scribner Awardee Marshall D. Lindheimer, MD, and Robert Narins Awardee Mitchell L. Halperin, MD, for their many contributions to our field. A short description of each of this year’s recipients is included in this newsletter. Also in this issue of Renal Express, ASN recognizes recipients of several of the Society’s grants. ASN supports the research of its members by offering grants to assist them at various points in their careers. Highlighted in this issue are the recipients of the M. James Scherbenske and New Directions Grants for established investigators and the Student Scholar Grant for medical students. Also highlighted are the recipients of the Basic Science Travel Grant. ASN will announce the recipients of its career development grants later this summer. In keeping with the security needs of the electronic age, please note that the ASN member login structure has changed to require your email address and a user-generated password. This change allows ASN members to utilize the Society’s online benefits while enjoying increased security and enhanced customization. When you first login through the ASN website, you will be prompted to change your password from your member number to a code of your choosing. Please note that if you do not have an email address on file with ASN, you will not be able to login until you provide one. I urge all members to finalize their plans regarding ASN 2008 educational opportunities. Interest in the ASN Board Review Course & Update (BRCU) increases every year, and enrollment in the 2008 course (August 23-29 in San Francisco, CA) has to this point increased 18% compared to previous years. So, if you have not yet reserved your BRCU enrollment, please visit the ASN website today. Finally, Renal Week 2008 housing availability near the Philadelphia Convention Center is less expansive than availability offered previously in San Diego and San Francisco. If you have not completed your ASN registration and housing arrangements, please visit the ASN website and do so today. Please note that ASN has reserved a massive housing block among Philadelphia hotels and negotiated discounted rates, so please coordinate your housing arrangements through the Society. Sincerely,  Peter S. Aronson, MD, FASN President, American Society of Nephrology |
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| ASN will present five awards during Renal Week 2008, which will take place November 4-9 in Philadelphia, PA. These annual awards recognize individuals who have made substantial contributions to the discipline of nephrology.  ASN will present the 2008 Robert G. Narins Award to Mitchell L. Halperin, MD. Dr.
Halperin is an attending physician at St. Michael’s Hospital in
Toronto, Canada, and a professor at the University of Toronto. Dr. Halperin is known for using creative methods to teach his students. By guiding his students to a conceptual understanding of renal physiology grounded in a passion for and command of the subject, Dr. Halperin inspires his students to go beyond the knowledge required to practice medicine, instilling a true love of learning for its own sake. His many contributions as a teacher include training 35 fellows in his laboratory, writing and helping to write 50 book chapters, and publishing three editions of Fluid, Electrolyte and Acid-Base Physiology, a comprehensive book that has strongly influenced the teaching of this difficult area to trainees and nephrologists throughout the world. Dr. Halperin is recognized internationally as an outstanding teacher; a fact evident by more than 300 lectures he has given at international meetings and universities.  ASN will present the 2008 ASN John P. Peters Award to Robert J. Alpern, MD. A former ASN
President, Dr. Alpern is Dean of the Yale University Medical School. Dr. Alpern’s body of work is characterized by remarkable cohesiveness, as he has moved from mammalian micropuncture experiments to approaches that describe, in molecular detail, the specific transport operations in the apical and basolateral membranes in the proximal nephron involved in H secretion and HCO3 absorption, and his further studies have defined additional components and modes of salt absorption in the nephron, especially those involved in chloride and citrate reabsorption. Dr. Alpern’s research program has focused on several aspects of proximal tubule acidification transport. He was the first to measure intracellular pH in vivo, allowing him to define the coordinated responses of the apical and basolateral membrane transports of protons and bicarbonate in response to conditions that regulate acidification mechanisms. Further studies by Dr. Alpern have centered, in great detail, on the signaling pathways that are activated by changes in intracellular pH. He discovered the important role of endothelium-1 in the pH-induced transport modifications, and also highlighted the role of non-receptor thyrosine kinases in the acid-activated signaling cascade. His most recent research efforts have successfully defined a circadian output gene as a further regulatory mechanism of acid excretion. Taken together, he has made and continues to make substantial research contributions to the discipline of nephrology. Despite continuing his research and carrying a significant administrative burden as Dean, Dr. Alpern also played a major role in the successful organization of the Forefront Symposia Program of the International Society of Nephrology. Moreover, he has been a major educational and mentoring force in the field. He has trained a large number of post-doctoral fellows (many of whom are now independent scientists in their own right) and been recognized and respected by the nephrology community as an outstanding scientist and mentor.  ASN will present the 2008 ASN Belding H. Scribner Award
to Marshall D. Lindheimer, MD.
Dr. Lindheimer is Professor Emeritus in the Departments of Internal
Medicine, Obstetrics, and Gynecology at the University of Chicago. Dr. Lindheimer, a physician noted to encompass many of the personal attributes that many came to admire in Dr. Belding Scribner, such as intense humanism and caring for others, has devoted himself to the study of renal disorders of pregnancy, and is probably the foremost authority in the world on these conditions. He and his associates have investigated the pathology and the prognosis of preeclampsia, the resetting of the osmostat that occurs in normal pregnancy, and the pathophysiology of proteinuria in normal and abnormal pregnancies. He is also lauded for his effort to collate, edit, and publicize advances in knowledge about renal disease and pregnancy. He has edited two authoritative books and several symposia on this subject. By bringing the subject of the kidney and pregnancy to the attention of internists and obstetricians in a readable and comprehensible way, and by his own contributions to our collective base of knowledge, such as his seminal invited review in The New England Journal of Medicine in 1973 concerning the administration of diuretics during pregnancy, he has made an outstanding contribution that has directly impacted the care of patients with renal disease and changed the clinical practice of nephrology.  ASN will present the 2008 ASN Homer W. Smith Award to Peter C. Harris, PhD. Dr.
Harris is Professor of Biochemistry and Molecular Biology and Professor
of Medicine at Mayo Medical School. The field of polycystic kidney disease (PKD) research has advanced rapidly during the past decade. The key breakthrough in this area was the mapping and identification of the first disease gene for autosomal dominant polycystic kidney disease, by Dr. Harris. He was also the first person to identify the disease gene for autosomal recessive polycystic kidney disease. Thus, Dr. Harris made two separate landmark contributions to the molecular identification of disease genes causing the major forms of PKD. Dr. Harris is also the international leader in characterizing mutation-phenotype correlations in these cystic kidney diseases. His work has also greatly contributed to identifying the central role of primary cilia in the molecular pathogenesis of this group of diseases.  ASN will present the 2008 ASN Young Investigator Award to
S. Ananth Karumanchi, MD.
Dr. Karumanchi is Associate Professor of Medicine at Harvard Medical
School and an attending physician in the Nephrology, Molecular, and
Vascular Medicine Divisions at the Beth Israel Deaconess Medical
Center. He holds a second appointment as a Senior Scientist with
the Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology at the Beth Israel
Deaconess Medical Center.Dr. Karumanchi began his research career by focusing on the characterization of circulating mediators of preeclampsia, one of the most common medical complications of pregnancy. During the past five years, he has made groundbreaking contributions to the field of preeclampsia that has catapulted him to international fame. Although preeclampsia has been recognized for at least 2,000 years, its cause remained unknown. Dr. Karumanchi identified two proteins that appear about five weeks before symptoms become present. His research may soon lead to a treatment for preeclampsia. ASN congratulates all recipients. |
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| Medicare
Legislation: ESRD Reforms and Physician Fee Fix Stalled in Congress Despite an overwhelming vote in the House of Representatives for the same bill (H.R. 3661) earlier in the week, the Senate failed to advance Medicare legislation on Thursday, June 26, 2008. The Senate considered a unanimous consent agreement cloture on the motion to procedure to H.R. 3661. Unfortunately, Republican Senators held firm and cloture was denied. The vote was 58-40. Under a unanimous consent agreement, the cloture vote was also considered a vote to pass the legislation. This development raises the question whether Congress can act to block a cut to physicians’ Medicare reimbursement scheduled to start Tuesday, July 1. At this time, it is too early to assess the impact, but it is likely to result in a long, protracted, and partisan process. ASN will be working closely with Kidney Care Partners (KCP) to protect ESRD reform measures included in the Medicare bill and will support the advocacy efforts of the American Medical Association and American College of Physicians to prevent cuts to physician Medicare reimbursement fees. Through Renal Express and other mechanism, ASN will keep its members informed of any developments. Congress Moves Appropriations Bills, ASN Advocates for Research Funding Prior to this week’s July Fourth recess, the Senate and House of Representatives Appropriations Committees began to debate their fiscal year (FY) 2009 appropriations measures in an attempt to move some bills to the floor by mid-summer. FY 2009 begins Wednesday, October 1, 2008. The House Appropriations Subcommittee on Labor-Health and Human Services (HHS)-Education reviewed the FY 2009 Labor-HHS-Education Appropriations Bill Wednesday, June 19, 2008, providing $30.379 billion to the National Institutes of Health (NIH). Efforts to move the bill to the full appropriations committee were stalled until after the recess. However, the full Senate Appropriations Committee reviewed its version of the bill Thursday, June 26, 2008, setting funding at $30.255 billion. The increases in funding in both chambers, while below ASN’s $31.1 billion request, supply an approximate $1 billion increase over FY 2008. The Senate Appropriations Committee also amended the appropriations measure to “establish rules to better monitor possible conflicts of interest by outside researchers who receive NIH funding.” Submitted by Senator Wayne Allard (R-CO) and modified by Senate Appropriations Subcommittee on Labor-HHS-Education Chair Tom Harkin (D-IA), the amendment resulted from a letter, distributed by Senate Finance Committee Chair Charles Grassley (R-IA), that criticized NIH for its limited oversight of grants awarded via the extramural program and urged appropriators to require additional supervision. The uproar over financial conflicts of interest escalated recently as reports suggested improper disclosure of potential conflicts of interest by investigators at Harvard Medical School and Massachusetts General Hospital. The House Appropriations Committee also considered the FY 2009 Military Construction and Veterans Affairs Appropriations Bill Tuesday, June 24, 2008. The committee allocated $500 million for the Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) Medical and Prosthetic Research Program, a $20 million increase over FY 2008. As an executive committee member of the Friends of VA Medical Care and Health Research (FOVA), ASN recommends a $555 million appropriation for the VA research program in FY 2009, and hopes to push for increased funding when the Senate considers its version of the bill next month. Registration Open for Advances in Research Conference, Travel Grant Deadline Fast Approaching In association with Renal Week 2008 in Philadelphia, PA, the Advances in Research Conference, “Human Disorders of Protein Processing: Mechanisms, Consequences, and Therapeutic Implications,” will be held Tuesday, November 4, and Wednesday, November 5, 2008. The conference will assemble internationally recognized scientists—with expertise ranging from protein folding dynamics to intracellular trafficking and folding diseases to drug development—to discuss cutting edge discoveries in the field of protein misfolding. Chaired by David H. Ellison, MD, FASN, and William R. Skach, MD, the course is ideal for investigators interested in learning about a rapidly developing field in an informal environment. The two-day conference is divided into four segments: Mechanisms and Evolution of Protein Folding; Membrane Protein Folding and Misfolding; ER Retention, Export and Degradation; and Intracellular Trafficking. The entire Conference agenda is available on the ASN website. Interested participants may register online at the ASN Meeting Registration site. Fees vary depending on ASN membership (please note the fee for ASN fellows and associate members has been reduced from last year’s rate); late fees will apply after Wednesday, September 17, 2008. ASN Member: $475 ASN Fellow/Associate Member: $150 Nonmember: $575 Nonmember Resident/Student/Trainee/Technician: $425 Conference participants may also be eligible for an ASN travel grant to help defray expenses associated with the two days of the conference. It is assumed that participants will also be attending the ASN Annual Meeting, which follows on Thursday, November 6, through Sunday, November 9. Eligible candidates must have an active ASN membership as of Tuesday, July 1, 2008, and, if given a travel grant, must register and attend only the Advances in Research Conference program; they may not attend other one- or two-day programs occurring concurrently. The travel grant application is available on the ASN website. Completed applications, along with the candidate’s curriculum vitae, must be submitted electronically by Friday, July 11, 2008, at 4:00 p.m. EDT. Please contact ASN Grants Coordinator Holly Osborne at (202) 659-0599 or hosborne@asn-online.org with any questions related to ASN travel grants. |
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| The recipients of the 2008 Student Scholar, New
Directions, and M. James Scherbenske grant awards as well as the Basic
Science Travel grant are: M. James Scherbenske Grant Stewart H. Lecker, MD, PhD, FASN Beth Israel Deaconess Medical Center He-Ping Ma, MD University of Alabama at Birmingham School of Medicine Steven C. Borkan, MD Boston Medical Center New Directions Grant David Pearce, MD, FASN University of California, San Francisco, School of Medicine Student Scholar Grant Maureen Moen University of Maryland School of Medicine David Jonathan Hobbs Michigan State University College of Human Medicine Neha M. Patel Leonard M. Miller School of Medicine at the University of Miami Christopher Lawton Columbia University College of Physicians and Surgeons Leonid Cherassky Cleveland Clinic Lerner Research Institute Basic Science Travel Grant Weidong Wang, MD, PhD University of Colorado School of Medicine Adam Whaley-Connell, DO, FASN University of Missouri-Columbia School of Medicine Daniel J. Becker, MD, PhD Brigham and Women’s Hospital Gilbert Kinsey, PhD University of Virginia School of Medicine Francesca Lugani, MD Columbia University, College of Physicians and Surgeons Jennifer Sasser, PhD University of Florida College of Medicine |
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 The ASN Program Committee is again
soliciting abstracts (300 words or fewer) that contain information
about ongoing clinical trials or research services available in core
facilities at academic institutions. These abstracts will be displayed
in informational poster sessions during the ASN annual meeting in
Philadelphia, PA. Submitted abstracts should include a brief
background; study goals, hypotheses, or description of available core
services; trial inclusion/exclusion recruitment criteria if
appropriate; and funding agency. The purpose of these abstracts is to
stimulate enrollment in clinical trials and increase utilization of
research core facilities. Please do not submit abstracts describing
results of clinical studies. Preference will be given to studies and
resources supported by government and non-profit agencies. Abstracts
should be submitted to education@asn-online.org
no later than Tuesday, August 19, 2008. These abstracts will be
reviewed and decision for inclusion made no later than Monday,
September 15, 2008. |
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JASN Anti-Rejection
Drug May Increase Risk of Diabetes After Kidney TransplantFor patients undergoing kidney transplantation, treatment with the anti-rejection drug sirolimus may lead to an increased risk of diabetes. TOC; Full Study Clear Racial Discrepancies Exist
Among Patients with CKDDue to Sociological Factors, Black Patients Face Higher Rates of Death in Early Stages of the Disease. TOC; Full Study CJASN  Muscle Mass May Not Fully Explain
Higher Creatinine in Blacks with Kidney DiseaseWhy do black patients with advanced kidney disease have higher levels of creatinine, a standard indicator of kidney function, than whites? Contrary to what doctors have thought, the difference may not necessarily reflect differences in muscle mass related to younger age or differences in body composition. TOC; Full Study NephSAP  NephSAP Seeking ReviewersNephSAP is seeking volunteers to review questions for accuracy and clinical relevance (two to three issues of NephSAP per year). |
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| ASN Reminders
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