2015 Award Recipients
Robert G. Narins Award
Mark L. Zeidel, MD, MS, FASN
Mark L. Zeidel, MD, FASN, will be presented with this year’s Robert G. Narins Award. He is the Herman Ludwig Blumgart Professor of Medicine at Harvard Medical School, and Physician-in-Chief and Chairman of the Department of Medicine at the Beth Israel Deaconess Medical Center (BIDMC). An accomplished clinician and teacher, he is also well-known for his research in the area of epithelial biology and water transport. Dr. Zeidel has made many important observations in the field, such as defining the role of atrial peptides in renal salt excretion, characterizing the biophysical function of water channels and barrier membranes, and advancing urothelial cell biology.
Dr. Zeidel is an innovative teacher, and has created an animated textbook in addition to original, nationally renowned courses at the Mount Desert Island Biological Laboratory as well as an upcoming series of review articles. He has pioneered the provision of reliable, cost-effective care, both at the University of Pittsburgh and BIDMC. He also advanced development of an innovative curriculum in quality improvement for residents and fellows at BIDMC. Dr. Zeidel has served on many leadership roles in both regional and national organizations where he has helped improve residency education funding, mentorship, and quality of care.
Belding H. Scribner Award
Glenn M. Chertow, MD, MPH, FASN
Glenn M. Chertow, MD, MPH, FASN, will be honored with the Belding H. Scribner Award for his career-long contributions to the practice of nephrology, including outstanding patient care, research, and service to professional organizations. He is the Norman S. Coplon Satellite Healthcare Professor of Medicine and chief of the Division of Nephrology at Stanford University School of Medicine.
In addition to an active clinical practice, teaching, and mentoring, he has developed and maintained a robust clinical research program. Dr. Chertow has also served in various leadership roles for many clinical trials sponsored by several institutes within the National Institutes of Health, and has been elected to the American Society of Clinical Investigation and the American Academy of Pediatrics. He has been honored by the American Kidney Fund and has served ASN in many capacities, including on the ASN Public Policy Board and as an associate editor of JASN.
John P. Peters Award
Roger C. Wiggins, MBChB
Roger C. Wiggins, MB, BChir, Professor Emeritus in the Department of Internal Medicine at the University of Michigan, will be awarded the John P. Peters Award. He served as Director of the Nephrology Training Program for 10 years, Division Chief for 15 years, and Director of the George M. O’Brien Kidney Center for 23 years. He is a fellow of the Royal College of Physicians and the American Association of Physicians.
Dr. Wiggins’ research focuses on the elucidation of mechanisms of glomerular injury leading to end stage kidney disease. He takes particular interest in podocyte biology, defining the role of podocyte depletion in glomerulosclerosis, and loss of kidney function. His lab is also working with several transgenic mouse models in which the process of progression is a major focus. Dr. Wiggins is currently working to translate discoveries made from these model systems to humans with the goal of providing practicing clinicians with insights and tools to prevent disease progression.
Homer W. Smith Award
Dontscho Kerjaschki, MD
This year’s Homer W. Smith Award will be given to Dontscho Kerjaschki, MD, Chair of the Department of Pathology at the Medical University of Vienna for his contributions to the field of renal pathology. He is the recipient of several distinguished awards, including the German Society of Nephrology’s Volhard Preis, and has been elected a Fellow of the Royal College of Physicians and a member of the German National Academy of Sciences. Dr. Kerjaschki has also taught within the Department of Cell Biology at Yale and the University of California, San Diego.
His current research is focused on the biology and pathology of kidney glomerular disease and on lymphatic vessel biology and pathology. He has published more than 240 papers over the course of his career. Dr. Kerjaschki has served on several editorial boards of journals, including the JASN, Journal of Clinical Investigation, and as associate editor of the American Journal of Pathology.
Donald W. Seldin Young Investigator Award
Janos Peti-Peterdi, MD, PhD
The ASN-AHA Young Investigator Award will be presented to Janos Peti-Peterdi, MD, PhD, for his groundbreaking research on pathophysiological underpinnings of chronic kidney disease (CKD). He is a professor in the Department of Physiology and Biophysics as well as the Department of Medicine at the University of Southern California. His laboratory examines kidney and cardiovascular pathophysiology—specifically the mechanisms of the healthy kidney that maintain body fluid volume, electrolyte balance, and blood pressure—and how they are changed in disease.
Dr. Peti-Peterdi also directs the National Institutes of Health–funded Multi-Photon Microscopy Core at USC for high-resolution intravital (live animal or in vivo) imaging of intact organs in small laboratory animals. During the past decade, the laboratory pioneered several applications of intravital multiphoton microscopy that allow researchers to quantitatively visualize the most basic physiological parameters of kidney and nephron function. His lab has recently deployed serial multiphoton microscopy to track individual cells during kidney disease development, and is using renal stem cells to develop a regenerative approach to treat CKD.
President's Medal
George Lopez
At Kidney Week 2015, the American Society of Nephrology (ASN) will present the President's Medal to award-winning actor, comedian, and philanthropist George Lopez. A kidney transplant recipient, Mr. Lopez is being recognized for his leadership in raising awareness of kidney health issues and his dedication to improving the lives of those burdened by kidney diseases through the work of the George Lopez Foundation. Mr. Lopez will receive the award in a ceremony on Thursday, November 5, in San Diego, CA.
"ASN applauds the work of Mr. Lopez and the George Lopez Foundation to better the lives of individuals with kidney diseases," said ASN President Jonathan Himmelfarb, MD, FASN. "His compassion and dedication to increasing awareness of the importance of kidney health and organ donation is inspiring, and ASN values his commitment to the kidney community."
Diagnosed with a genetic kidney disease in 2004, Mr. Lopez received a kidney transplant in 2005. His experience led him to cofound the George Lopez Foundation to create positive, permanent change for underprivileged children, adults, and military families confronting challenges in education and health, as well as increasing community awareness about kidney disease and organ donation. He currently serves as the President of the Foundation, which sends 250 kidney kids and their families to Summer and Fall Family Camps annually.