William G Couser, MD, FASN
February 24, 2025
Dr. William Couser, President of the American Society of Nephrology from 1995 to 1996, made significant contributions to the study of glomerular diseases. He was among the first to explore the pathogenesis of membranous nephropathy and the role of complement in immune-mediated glomerular diseases. His work, including the discovery that immune complexes could form in situ in the glomerulus, has been foundational in the understanding of membranous nephropathy.
Dr. Couser earned his undergraduate degree from Harvard College and his MD (cum laude) from Harvard Medical School. He completed his residency and nephrology training at top institutions, including the University of California, San Francisco, and the University of Chicago. A U.S. Army veteran, he served as a Captain in Vietnam.
He was recruited to the University of Washington in 1982, where he led the Division of Nephrology for two decades. Under his leadership, the division became internationally recognized for research and training in glomerular diseases. Dr. Couser co-authored over 150 research publications and was instrumental in securing NIH training grants and establishing a transplant fellowship program.
Dr. Couser also served as Editor-in-Chief of the Journal of the American Society of Nephrology and was the President of the International Society of Nephrology from 2005 to 2007. He received the John P. Peters Lifetime Achievement Award from ASN in 2018 for his contributions to nephrology.
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