About Us

The Renal-Electrolyte Division of the University of Pittsburgh has a fundamental commitment to patient care, teaching and research. Our clinicians provide state of the art care for patients at facilities on the Oakland and Shadyside campuses of UPMC and the VA. We continue to experience growth in our inpatient and outpatient activities. Our fellowship program has grown from 9 trainees in 2000-01 to 14 trainees in 2006-07. We continue to attract outstanding trainees from programs throughout the U.S. Our faculty actively participates in the education of medical and graduate students, medical residents, nephrology trainees, and PhD postdoctoral trainees. They are recognized as excellent educators, as exemplified by Dr. James Johnston who was the recipient of the American Medical Student Association's National Golden Apple Award. An NIH-funded T32 grant provides support for the training of graduate students and postdoctoral fellows in renal related research. Our research activities are supported by grants from the NIH, VA, American Heart Association, American Society of Nephrology, Cystic Fibrosis Foundation, National Kidney Foundation and corporations. Our renovated laboratory space on the 9th floor of Scaife Hall enhances our research effort in the areas of epithelial cell biology and physiology, cell signaling, clinical epidemiology, health services research and clinical research.

Mission

1. Provide outstanding patient care as both consultants for complex renal-electrolyte problems and as primary care physicians for patients with progressive kidney failure and end stage renal disease.
2. Teach medical students, graduate students, interns, residents and fellows as well as attending physicians and nurses through lectures, visiting professorships, and outreach programs on renal-electrolyte disorders, acute kidney injury, chronic kidney disease, end stage renal disease and on the science of renal physiology and epithelial cell biology.
3. Perform laboratory based research that is focused on studies of mechanisms of epithelial cell structure and function, cell signaling, renal physiology, and immunobiology and clinical based research that is focused on studies of renal-electrolyte disorders, acute kidney injury, chronic kidney disease and end stage renal disease.