The Department of Medicine at the Anschutz Medical Campus boasts top medical care for patients, as well as fellowships and endowments. The Grand Rounds Schedule includes all events for divisions under the department.

My research interests are 1) the pathophysiology acute Kidney injury (AKI), 2) the pathophysiology of polycystic kidney disease (PKD) and 3) biomarkers of acute kidney injury (AKI). 1) My NIH –funded PKD research studies are a) caspases and apoptosis in PKD, b) mammalian target of rapamycin (mTOR) signaling in PKD. We were the first to demonstrate that caspase and apoptosis inhibition reduces proliferation, cyst formation and renal failure in PKD. We were also the first to demonstrate that mTOR inhibition with rapamycin reduces cyst formation and kidney failure in an animal model of PKD. We are presently studying the new generation of mTOR inhibitors in rat and mouse models of PKD. The rapamycin in PKD studies have been translated from the bench to the bedside and we are studying the effect of rapamycin on native polycystic kidney size in kidney transplant patients. 2) My NIH-funded AKI research focuses on the sources and targets of interleukin-18 in animal models of AKI. We are investigating macrophages and NK cells as sources and targets of IL-18 and other caspase-1 related cytokines in AKI in mice. We have also demonstrated that IL-33, the newest member of the IL-1 family of cytokines, is a mediator of cisplatin-induced AKI.  In collaboration with Dr Alkesh Jani we are studying cold preservation injury in mice, pigs and squirrels and are developing a model of kidney transplantation in pigs.  3) I am also a co-investigator of TRIBE-AKI (Translational Research Involving Biomarkers of Early Acute kidney Injury) consortium that is studying biomarkers of acute kidney injury. In this regard urinary interleukin-18 is an early diagnostic marker of acute kidney injury in the intensive care unit. We have demonstrated that urine IL-18, urinary and plasma NGAL are early biomarkers of AKI post cardiac surgery in a cohort of over 1000 patients. We are also studying urinary IL-18 and other biomarkers as early markers of AKI in delayed kidney graft function, post cardiac surgery and in patients receiving a liver transplant.