American Society of Nephrology Magazine Features UNC Kidney Center Study
The American Society of Nephrology (ASN)’s magazine publication, Kidney News, recently featured a front-page cover story highlighting an article published by UNC Kidney Center researchers.
This study was led by UNC’s Dr. Mark Foster, a student in the School of Medicine, who collaborated with UNC Kidney Center’s Drs. Ron Falk and Maria Ferris. The article, Personal Disaster Preparedness of Dialysis Patients in North Carolina, was published in the October issue of the Clinical Journal of the American Society of Nephrology.
Researchers described dialysis patients as among the most vulnerable patients during a natural or man-made disaster. They found that the general disaster preparedness of most study participants was poor; dialysis patients were found to be poorly prepared to shelter in place or to evacuate in the face of a disaster.
Click here for full story
UNC Kidney Center Gearing Up for Seventh Annual Kidney Kare 5K
Registration is open for the UNC Kidney Center's Kidney Kare 5K, which will take place on Saturday, March 17 in Carrboro, NC.
Participants of all abilities and ages are invited to sign up for the event, in which they can run or walk, win prizes, and have the chance to help support programs at the UNC Kidney Center.
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New Podcast, "Being There for Your Friend with Vasculitis" Produced
Delesha Carpenter, PhD, MSPH & Ron Falk, MD |
When someone has a friend or family member who has been diagnosed with vasculitis, that person might not know what to say or what to do.
Delesha Carpenter, PhD, MSPH helps friends of vasculitis patients understand what it is like to live with the disease in this two-part podcast featuring Dr. Ron Falk, UNC Kidney Center Director and Dianne Shaw, Past President of the Vasculitis Foundation and vasculitis patient.
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First Neyhart Scholarship to be Awarded in July of 2012
The Neyhart Scholarship, created by Clara and Greg Neyhart, will award its first scholarship in July of 2012. Applications will be accepted between January 1 and April 15.
Clara and Greg established this scholarship in 2010 to support patients with kidney disease or children of patients with kidney disease, who are in pursuit of education in a university, community college or vocational training setting.
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UNC Kidney Center Director Ron Falk Delivered 2011 Berryhill Distinguished Lecture
UNC Kidney Center Director Dr Ron Falk gave the 2011 Berryhill Distinguished Lecture on Monday, October 3rd. He presented "The Essential Need for a Climate of Curiosity in Academic Hospitals: The ANCA Vasculitis Story" at the Carolina Club in Chapel Hill.
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Click here for full text of the lecture
UNC Kidney Center's Dr. Philip Klemmer Coauthors Book
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Philip Klemmer, MD has coauthored a book released on October 7, 2011 titled Diet, Nutrients, and Bone Health.
In the introduction of the book, Dr. Klemmer comments on the role that lifestyle factors play in bone health. He continues to describe the importance of nutrients for bone health, specifically commenting on the kidney’s regulation of calcium and phosphorus and how it contributes to the health of the skeletal system.
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UNC Football Player and Kidney Patient, Joshua Adams, Featured in News and Observer article
The News and Observer published an article on October 12 captioned “Disease in remission, UNC’s Adams hoping to play again”, which featured UNC football player Joshua Adams and his nephrologist, UNC Kidney Center Director Dr. Ron Falk.
Adams, a Sophomore Wide Receiver for Carolina Football, was diagnosed with ANCA vasculitis earlier this year, putting his athletic career at a standstill and his life in jeopardy.
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Welcome, Dr. Roberto Negrete-Lopez
The UNC Kidney Center welcomes visiting scholar Dr. Roberto Negrete-Lopez.
After receiving his undergraduate degree from the Universidad Autonoma do Nueva Leon in 2002, Dr. Negrete studied Internal Medicine at the Hospital Christus Muguerza Alta Especialidad. He then continued his specialization in Rheumatology and Clinical Immunology at the Hospital Universitario “Jose E. Gonzalez” of the Universidad Autonoma de Nuevo Leon. Dr. Negrete currently is involved in teaching Fellows in Formation and Medical Students as a staff member of the Department of Internal Medicine and Rheumatology at the Universidad Autonoma de Nuevo Leon.
New Podcast: Immunizations and the Immunocompromised Patient
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David Weber, MD, MPH & Ronald Falk, MD |
UNC Kidney Center Director Dr Ron Falk is joined by Dr. David Weber, Professor of Medicine and Pediatrics, School of Medicine and Professor of Epidemiology, Gillings School of Global Public Health at UNC.
In this recording Drs Falk and Weber discuss immunizations and the recommendations for patients whose immune systems are compromised.
Dr Falk poses questions for Dr Weber that are frequently asked by patients, and discussions include general recommendations as well as specific recommendations for the flu shot, DPT, pneumonia, Hepatitis B, Hepatitis A and HPV vaccine.
Norma Berryhill Distinguished Lecture to be given by Ronald Falk, MD
The annual Norma Berryhill Distinguished Lecture will be presented by Ronald Falk, MD, Allen Brewster Distinguished Professor of Medicine, Chief, Division of Nephrology & Hypertension, Director, UNC Kidney Center.
The title of the lecture is, "The Essential Need for a Climate of Curiosity in Academic Hospitals: The ANCA Vasculitis Story."
The lecture will take place October 3rd, 2011 at the Carolina Club, Alumni Halls at 5:30 PM.
Click here to read more about the Lectureship
Welcome, Dr Lamanna
Roger Lamanna, MD is pleased to be joining the Nephrology Division at the UNC School of Medicine, Department of Medicine.
His duties with the Division will primarily involve providing nephrology consultative services and dialysis care through the UNC Kidney Center’s Sanford satellite facility and to act as bridge between the University and the local medical community.
Ferris publishes article on challenges facing adolescent patients
Maria Ferris, MD, MPH, PhD, has co-authored an article, “Health Care Transition for Adolescents with CKD—The Journey From Pediatric to Adult Care” published last week in Advances in Chronic Kidney Disease.
In this article, Dr. Ferris and her colleagues discuss the challenges facing adolescents with end-stage kidney disease as their medical care changes hands from pediatric to adult practitioners.
Derebail publishes article that may partially explain different treatment needs for African American dialysis patients
Vimal K. Derebail, MD, MPH, has authored a study, "Variant hemoglobin phenotypes may account for differential erythropoietin-stimulating agent dosing in African-American hemodialysis patients" published on-line August 17th in Kidney International.
In this study, Dr. Derebail and his colleagues evaluated the influence of abnormal hemoglobin variants including sickle cell trait on the response to anemia therapy in 154 African American patients receiving hemodialysis.
Spotlight on 2011 Fellows
The new class of fellows of the UNC Kidney Center fellowship program has begun training. Every Friday a different fellow has been featured on this web site. Click here to get to know the new fellows.
UNC Kidney Center Faculty to speak at the American Society of Nephrology’s Kidney Week 2011 
UNC Kidney Center faculty will be well represented at the annual meeting of the American Society of Nephrology (ASN), which will take place in Philadelphia, PA from November 8 through November 13, "Kidney Week".
Kidney Center Bids Farewell to Four Trainees; 2011 Maestro Named
A special ceremony was held on the afternoon of June 22 for the four clinical nephrology trainees who have completed their subspecialty fellowships. The 2011 Maestro Award was also presented.
Research at the UNC Kidney Center Reveals a Genetic Link with PR3-ANCA Disease
A genetics study led by UNC Kidney Center's Drs. Ron Falk and Gloria Preston has shown that African Americans with a particular allele, or form of a gene, are more likely to develop PR3-ANCA disease. The findings were recently published in the June 2011 issue of the Journal of the American Society of Nephrology (JASN).
15th International Vasculitis and ANCA Workshop Attracts Top Clinical and Basic Science Researchers to UNC
Over 400 world-renowned clinicians and scientists converged at the George Watts Hill Alumni Center to share the latest best practices, trial results and research discoveries in the basic understanding, diagnosis and treatment of vasculitis at the 15th International Vasculitis and ANCA Workshop in Chapel Hill, NC.
Vasculitis Patient and Family Symposium A Success
The Vasculitis Foundation and its North Carolina/Raleigh Chapter hosted a symposium for patients and families in Chapel Hill on May 14. More than 145 patients, family members and health care professionals participated. Full Story
Patient Assistance Funds Boosted by Recent Kidney Center Events and Contributions
The 2011 Raven Rock Ramble, an established century bicycle ride organized by David Cole, a kidney transplant recipient, the UNC Kidney Kare 5K Run/Walk directed by the UNC Kidney Center’s Suzie Hosman, and the Brewster Family Endowment Fund have contributed over $15,000 to assist UNC dialysis and transplant patients with emergent needs since last July.
UNC nephrology social workers, transplant coordinators, nurse clinicians and physicians identify patients with urgent financial challenges related to subsistence, dental, medication and utility and transportation expenses.
The following chart depicts the distribution of fiscal year 2010-2011 awards by category of need:
“This financial assistance is making a difference in patients’ clinical outcomes and in the quality of their lives”, says Donna Harward, Director of Education and Outreach. Participants in the Raven Rock Ramble, the Kidney Kare Run and the Brewster family are to be congratulated on this generous and important effort.
Click here to read more information on the funds in the April KEOP Filter newsletter
UNC Kidney Center's "Transform Lives: Be an Organ Donor" campaign exhibits at the UNC Donate Life Health Fair
In honor of Donate Life Month, the Kidney Education Outreach program (KEOP) highlighted its efforts to spread awareness about transplantation and organ donation at the UNC Donate Life Health Fair.
Outreach efforts for the “Transform Lives: Be an Organ Donor” campaign have included a “Transform Lives” billboard campaign, community information sessions, and integration of living donor and pre-emptive transplant information at UNC’s satellite pre-transplant clinics.
Article on UNC Kidney Center's Nephrology Nursing Initiative awarded Clinical Writing Award of the Year by the Nephrology Nursing Journal
A journal article describing the conception and implementation of the UNC Kidney Center's Nephrology Nursing Initiative (NNI) featured in the March/April issue of the Nephrology Nursing Journal, recently was awarded the Clinical Writing Award of the Year by the journal.
The NNI, spearheaded by Clara Neyhart, is a systematic and integrated approach to streamline the care of patients throughout the continuum of chronic kidney disease and and end stage-kidney disease.
Registration now open for vasculitis symposium
Registration is now open for the “Leading-Edge Research and Strategies for Living with Vasculitis Symposium”. The Vasculitis Foundation and the North Carolina/Raleigh Chapter is hosting this one-day regional symposium for patients, families, friends and caregivers on May 14, 2011.
The symposium is being held prior to the start of the 2011 International Vasculitis and ANCA Workshop and will allow the patient symposium to include international speakers in the program.
Click here to register
Neyhart Scholarship created to help support kidney patients
UNC Kidney Center's Clara Neyhart and her husband Greg Neyhart have created the Neyhart Scholarship. This scholarship will help support patients with kidney disease or children of patients with kidney disease.