- Amir Kazory, MD 9-5-2025- “Cardiorenal Syndrome 2025- Piecing Together The Therapy Puzzle”
- Azra Bihorac, MD 9-12-2025- “Digital Twins for Health: Transforming Nephrology and Beyond”
- Pinaki Sarder, MD 9-19-2025- “From Pixels to Prognosis: The Role of Generative AI in Pathology”
- Vincent Bird, MD 9-26-2025- “Comprehensive Care for Kidney Stone Patients”
- Jogiraju Tantravahi, MD 10-3-2025- “Osteoporosis management in patients with advanced chronic kidney disease and end stage renal disease”
- Hisham Ibrahim, MD 10-10-2025- “Calcineurin Inhibitors-induced nephrotoxicity: Molecular mechanisms and a review of the efficacy of proposed mitigation strategies”
- Alfonso Santos, MD 10-24-2025- “Delayed Graft Function After Kidney Transplantation: Trends & Outcomes”
- Sheena Pramod, MD 10-31-2025- A “Cat”=astrophe in the Making
- Mark Segal, MD 11-14-2025- “The Gatekeeper of Glucose: Mechanisms Behind the Potent Benefits of SGLT2 Inhibition”
- Abdel Alli, MD 01-16-2026- “Oxalate toxicity: elucidating mechanisms of CaOx induced cell death in the inner medullary collecting duct”
- Chintan Shah, MD 01-23-2026- “AL Amyloidosis and Kidney: The Role of Onco-Nephrology”
- Kawther Alquadan, MD 01-30-2026- “Same Kidney New Address: The Art and Science of Kidney Auto Transplantation”
- Ashutosh Shukla, MD 02-06-2026- “Hemodialysis Vascular Access: Wishful ornament or Therapeutic Necessity?”
- Benjamin Shickel, 02-13-2026- “Artificial Intelligence in Acute Care”
- Wei Shao, PhD, 02-20-2026- “Generative AI in Medical Imaging”
- Virender Mahabir, MD, 02-27-2026- “Glomerular Diseases in Pregnancy: A contemporary Perspective”
- Olanrewaju Olaoye, MD, 03-13-2026- “A: CKD- Related Hyperuricemia; B: Dialysis (HD/PD) Access”
- Olesya Ilkun, MD, 03-27-2026- “Updates on CKD Management in Non-Kidney Solid Organ Transplant”
- David Weiner, MD, 04-10-2026- “An update on primary aldosteronism”
- Issa Haddad, MD, 04-17-2026- “From Native Kidneys to Allografts: The expanding Role of SGLT2 Inhibitors in CKD & Kidney Transplant”
- Shruti Shettigar, MD, 05-01-2026- “The Interventional Shift: Redefining Standards of Care for Complement-Mediated Nephropathies”
In this Renal Grand Rounds lecture, Amir Kazory discusses the complex relationship between the heart and kidneys in patients with cardiorenal syndrome. The presentation reviews the pathophysiology of cardiorenal interactions and explains how dysfunction in one organ system can significantly impact the other, creating challenges in diagnosis and management.
Dr. Kazory highlights current clinical approaches used to treat cardiorenal syndrome, including strategies for managing fluid balance, optimizing cardiovascular therapies, and addressing kidney function in patients with heart failure. The lecture also examines recent research developments, emerging therapeutic options, and evolving clinical guidelines aimed at improving outcomes for patients affected by this condition.
This session provides clinicians and trainees with a comprehensive overview of the mechanisms, diagnostic considerations, and treatment strategies involved in managing cardiorenal syndrome, while emphasizing the importance of an integrated and multidisciplinary approach to patient care.
In this Renal Grand Rounds lecture, Azra Bihorac discusses the emerging concept of digital twins in healthcare and their potential to transform nephrology and other medical specialties. A digital twin is a virtual representation of a patient that integrates clinical data, physiological information, and advanced computational models to simulate health conditions and predict disease progression.
The presentation explores how digital twin technology can support personalized medicine by enabling clinicians to model treatment responses, anticipate complications, and optimize clinical decision-making. The lecture also highlights the role of artificial intelligence, data science, and advanced analytics in building accurate patient-specific models. Dr. Bihorac reviews current research, clinical applications, and future possibilities of digital twins in improving diagnosis, treatment planning, and outcomes for patients with kidney disease and other complex conditions.
This session provides an overview of how digital innovation and predictive modeling may shape the future of nephrology, healthcare delivery, and precision medicine.
In this Renal Grand Rounds lecture, Pinaki Sarder explores the growing role of generative artificial intelligence in pathology and its potential to transform disease diagnosis and prognosis. The presentation discusses how advanced AI models can analyze medical images and digital pathology slides to identify patterns, extract meaningful insights, and assist clinicians in making more accurate and timely diagnoses.
Dr. Sarder highlights the use of machine learning and generative AI techniques to enhance image analysis, automate certain aspects of pathology workflows, and support predictive modeling for disease outcomes. The lecture also reviews current research developments and practical applications of AI in nephrology and other medical fields.
This session provides an overview of how emerging technologies in artificial intelligence and digital pathology may improve diagnostic accuracy, support clinical decision-making, and contribute to the future of precision medicine.
In this Renal Grand Rounds lecture, Vincent Bird discusses the evaluation and management of patients with kidney stones, with an emphasis on comprehensive and patient-centered care. The presentation reviews the underlying causes and risk factors associated with kidney stone formation, as well as current diagnostic approaches used to identify and assess the condition.
Dr. Bird highlights treatment options for kidney stones, including medical management, preventive strategies, and minimally invasive surgical techniques. The lecture also emphasizes the importance of long-term prevention through dietary modifications, metabolic evaluation, and individualized treatment plans to reduce the risk of recurrence.
This session provides clinicians and trainees with an overview of current best practices in the management of kidney stone disease, focusing on multidisciplinary approaches to improve patient outcomes and long-term kidney health.
In this Renal Grand Rounds lecture, Jogiraju Tantravahi discusses the challenges of diagnosing and managing osteoporosis in patients with advanced chronic kidney disease (CKD) and end-stage renal disease (ESRD). The presentation reviews the complex changes in bone metabolism that occur in patients with kidney disease and explains how these changes increase the risk of bone loss and fractures.
Dr. Tantravahi highlights current strategies for evaluating bone health in patients with CKD and ESRD, including diagnostic tools, laboratory assessments, and imaging techniques. The lecture also explores available treatment options, potential risks associated with certain osteoporosis medications in patients with kidney disease, and approaches for balancing bone health while managing underlying renal conditions.
This session provides clinicians and trainees with an overview of current recommendations and clinical considerations for improving bone health and reducing fracture risk in patients with advanced kidney disease.
In this Renal Grand Rounds lecture, Hisham Ibrahim explores the nephrotoxic effects of calcineurin inhibitors, commonly used immunosuppressive medications in transplant and autoimmune patients. The presentation reviews the molecular and cellular mechanisms by which these drugs can cause kidney injury, including effects on renal vasculature, tubular cells, and inflammatory pathways.
Dr. Ibrahim discusses current strategies proposed to mitigate nephrotoxicity, including pharmacologic adjustments, adjunctive therapies, and emerging approaches from recent research. The lecture also evaluates the evidence supporting these mitigation strategies and highlights ongoing challenges in optimizing patient outcomes while maintaining therapeutic immunosuppression.
This session provides clinicians and trainees with a detailed understanding of the mechanisms, clinical implications, and management strategies for calcineurin inhibitor–related nephrotoxicity, emphasizing evidence-based approaches to minimize kidney injury in patients requiring these medications.
In this Renal Grand Rounds lecture, Alfonso Santos discusses delayed graft function (DGF), a significant early complication after kidney transplantation. DGF is commonly defined as the need for dialysis within the first week following transplant and can impact both short- and long-term outcomes, including graft survival and patient health.
Dr. Santos reviews the major risk factors for DGF, including donor characteristics, recipient factors, and perioperative considerations, and examines how advances in transplant practices have influenced its incidence over time. The lecture also explores strategies for managing and mitigating DGF, including pre- and post-transplant interventions, clinical monitoring, and emerging research aimed at improving graft function.
This session provides clinicians and trainees with a comprehensive understanding of DGF, emphasizing evidence-based approaches to optimize transplant outcomes, reduce complications, and enhance long-term kidney health in transplant recipients.
In this Renal Grand Rounds lecture, Sheena Pramod presents a detailed discussion on clinical and research challenges in nephrology, framed around the concept of how seemingly small or overlooked factors can lead to significant complications in patients with kidney disease. The lecture emphasizes the importance of recognizing early warning signs, understanding underlying risk factors, and implementing evidence-based strategies to prevent adverse outcomes.
Dr. Pramod reviews relevant case studies, current research findings, and practical approaches to patient care, highlighting ways to optimize treatment and management decisions in complex nephrology scenarios. She also explores emerging insights into the pathophysiology of kidney-related complications, helping clinicians and trainees connect research evidence to everyday clinical practice.
This session provides a comprehensive overview of critical considerations in nephrology, with a focus on prevention, early intervention, and improving long-term patient outcomes, making it a valuable resource for clinicians, trainees, and healthcare professionals interested in kidney health.
In this Renal Grand Rounds lecture, Mark Segal discusses the mechanisms and clinical benefits of sodium‑glucose cotransporter 2 (SGLT2) inhibitors, a class of medications that have become foundational in managing chronic kidney disease (CKD), heart failure, and diabetes. The presentation explains how SGLT2 plays a key role in glucose reabsorption in the kidneys, and how inhibiting this transporter increases glucose and sodium excretion in urine, leading to improvements in blood glucose control, blood pressure, and overall metabolic health.
Dr. Segal reviews how SGLT2 inhibition activates physiological pathways that protect kidney and cardiovascular function beyond simple glucose lowering. These include improved tubuloglomerular feedback that reduces harmful intraglomerular pressure, modulation of hemodynamic forces that benefit the heart and kidneys, and reductions in inflammation and oxidative stress that slow the progression of kidney disease. Clinical evidence shows that SGLT2 inhibitors reduce the risk of adverse kidney outcomes, hospitalizations for heart failure, and disease progression across diverse patient populations with CKD and diabetes.
This session provides clinicians with a comprehensive overview of both the molecular basis and practical implications of SGLT2 inhibition, highlighting why this therapeutic approach is considered one of the most impactful advances in nephrology and cardiometabolic care in recent years.
In this Renal Grand Rounds lecture, Abdell Alli presents a detailed exploration of oxalate toxicity and its effects on kidney cells, specifically focusing on how calcium oxalate (CaOx) crystals contribute to cell injury and death in the inner medullary collecting duct. The lecture reviews the biochemical and cellular mechanisms by which oxalate and CaOx crystals disrupt normal cellular function, leading to inflammation, oxidative stress, and apoptotic signaling pathways that compromise tubular integrity.
Dr. Alli discusses current research findings that shed light on the pathways involved in CaOx‑mediated nephrotoxicity, including the role of cellular stress responses, membrane interactions, and intracellular signaling cascades. The presentation also highlights how better understanding these mechanisms may inform future therapeutic strategies to prevent or mitigate oxalate‑related kidney damage, a key consideration in conditions such as primary hyperoxaluria, recurrent kidney stones, and other forms of crystal‑induced nephropathy.
This session provides clinicians, researchers, and trainees with a comprehensive overview of the pathophysiology of oxalate toxicity, emphasizing both foundational scientific insights and potential clinical implications for improving patient care in nephrology.
Dr. Shah reviews the clinical presentation of renal amyloidosis, diagnostic strategies including tissue biopsy and amyloid typing, and the importance of collaboration between nephrologists, oncologists, and hematologists to optimize patient outcomes. The lecture emphasizes that addressing the underlying plasma cell disorder while providing supportive kidney care is essential for preserving renal function and improving overall patient prognosis.
This session offers clinicians and trainees a comprehensive overview of AL amyloidosis affecting the kidneys, including pathophysiology, clinical implications, diagnostic approaches, and evidence-based strategies for multidisciplinary management, making it a valuable resource for understanding the intersection of oncology and nephrology in patient care.
In this Renal Grand Rounds lecture, Ashutosh Shukla provides an in-depth discussion on the critical importance of vascular access in hemodialysis and why it is a therapeutic necessity rather than merely a clinical procedure. The lecture covers the different types of vascular access, including arteriovenous fistulas, grafts, and central venous catheters, and explains their roles in providing efficient and safe blood flow during hemodialysis. Dr. Shukla emphasizes that proper vascular access is essential for effective dialysis, minimizing complications, and improving overall patient outcomes and quality of life.
The presentation reviews common challenges associated with vascular access, such as thrombosis, stenosis, infection, and difficulties with access maturation, and highlights evidence-based strategies to optimize access function. Dr. Shukla also discusses the importance of early planning, multidisciplinary care, and ongoing monitoring to ensure long-term success and patient safety.
This session provides clinicians and trainees with a comprehensive understanding of the practical, clinical, and therapeutic considerations involved in hemodialysis vascular access, offering insights into how careful planning, maintenance, and management can directly impact treatment efficacy and patient well-being.
In this Renal Grand Rounds lecture, Benjamin Shickel provides a comprehensive overview of the emerging role of artificial intelligence (AI) in acute care settings, emphasizing how these technologies can support clinical decision-making, improve patient monitoring, and enhance diagnostic accuracy. The lecture explores the use of machine learning and AI-driven algorithms to predict patient deterioration, assist in triage, analyze complex clinical data, and guide personalized treatment strategies for critically ill patients.
Dr. Shickel highlights real-world applications and recent research that demonstrate the potential of AI to identify clinical patterns not easily recognized by traditional methods, reduce delays in diagnosis, and improve workflow efficiency in acute care environments. The lecture also addresses important considerations for integrating AI into clinical practice, including data quality, interpretability, ethical use, and the necessity of clinician oversight in developing and validating AI tools.
This session provides clinicians, trainees, and healthcare professionals with an in-depth understanding of AI’s potential benefits, limitations, and future directions in acute care medicine, emphasizing how responsible implementation can enhance patient safety, clinical outcomes, and overall healthcare efficiency.
In this Renal Grand Rounds lecture, Wei Shao provides an in-depth discussion of the role of generative artificial intelligence (AI) in medical imaging and its transformative potential in clinical care. The lecture explores how advanced AI models, including deep learning and neural networks, are being developed to enhance image reconstruction, improve the quality and accuracy of diagnostic scans, and assist clinicians in interpreting complex imaging data. Dr. Shao emphasizes the applications of generative AI in nephrology and other medical specialties, highlighting its potential to detect structural abnormalities, reduce artifacts, and provide more precise evaluation of disease processes.
The presentation also reviews recent research, emerging clinical applications, and real-world case examples demonstrating how generative AI can be integrated into medical workflows. Dr. Shao addresses both the opportunities and challenges of implementing these technologies, including considerations of data quality, model validation, regulatory compliance, and ethical use. Attendees gain a comprehensive understanding of how generative AI can enhance diagnostic confidence, support clinical decision-making, and improve patient outcomes in modern healthcare settings.
This session provides clinicians, trainees, and healthcare professionals with a thorough overview of the current state and future directions of generative AI in medical imaging, emphasizing its potential to transform diagnostic practices and advance patient care.
In this Renal Grand Rounds lecture, Virender Mahabir provides a comprehensive overview of glomerular diseases in pregnancy, focusing on the unique challenges of diagnosing and managing kidney disorders in pregnant patients. The lecture reviews the impact of pregnancy on preexisting glomerular disease, the risk of disease exacerbation, and the effects on maternal and fetal outcomes. Dr. Mahabir discusses current strategies for monitoring kidney function, assessing proteinuria, and differentiating between pregnancy-related complications such as preeclampsia and underlying glomerular pathology.
The presentation highlights evidence-based approaches to treatment, including safe pharmacologic options, timing of interventions, and multidisciplinary collaboration among nephrologists, obstetricians, and maternal-fetal medicine specialists. Dr. Mahabir also emphasizes the importance of individualized care plans to optimize both maternal and fetal outcomes, while minimizing risks associated with kidney disease during pregnancy.
This session provides clinicians, trainees, and healthcare professionals with an in-depth understanding of the pathophysiology, diagnostic considerations, and management strategies for glomerular diseases in pregnancy, offering practical insights into contemporary care practices and emerging research in this specialized area of nephrology.
In this Renal Grand Rounds lecture features Dr. Olanrewaju Olaoye, who presents an overview of two important topics in nephrology: chronic kidney disease (CKD)–related hyperuricemia and vascular access for dialysis, including both hemodialysis (HD) and peritoneal dialysis (PD) access.
In the first part of the presentation, Dr. Olaoye discusses the pathophysiology and clinical significance of hyperuricemia in patients with chronic kidney disease. The lecture reviews current evidence regarding the relationship between elevated serum uric acid levels and CKD progression, cardiovascular risk, and patient outcomes. Diagnostic considerations, current management strategies, and the role of urate-lowering therapies in CKD patients are also examined.
The second part of the lecture focuses on dialysis access for patients requiring renal replacement therapy. Dr. Olaoye reviews the different types of hemodialysis access, including arteriovenous fistulas, arteriovenous grafts, and tunneled dialysis catheters, as well as considerations for peritoneal dialysis catheter placement. The discussion highlights the importance of early planning, access selection, and multidisciplinary coordination to improve patient outcomes and reduce complications such as infection, thrombosis, and access failure.
This educational session is part of the Renal Grand Rounds series hosted by the University of Florida Nephrology Fellowship Program, which provides ongoing education for nephrology fellows, physicians, trainees, and healthcare professionals interested in kidney disease, dialysis care, and advances in nephrology practice.
In this Renal Grand Rounds, Dr. Ilkun provided a comprehensive overview of chronic kidney disease (CKD) as it occurs after transplantation of solid organs other than the kidney, emphasizing that CKD is a common and serious long‑term complication in recipients of liver, heart, lung, and other non‑kidney transplants due to a combination of pre‑, peri‑, and post‑transplant factors including perioperative acute kidney injury (AKI), chronic nephrotoxic effects of immunosuppressive medications such as calcineurin inhibitors, hemodynamic changes, and underlying comorbidities, and that its prevalence in this population is significantly higher than in the general population; Dr. Ilkun summarized evidence showing that management in these patients generally follows established CKD care principles—such as regular monitoring of estimated glomerular filtration rate (eGFR) and proteinuria, optimizing blood pressure control, using renin‑angiotensin‑aldosterone system (RAAS) blockade when appropriate, avoiding nephrotoxins, and coordinating care with nephrology teams—while highlighting the importance of early nephrology referral, individualized immunosuppression adjustments to minimize nephrotoxic exposure, and consideration of kidney‑protective strategies including potential use of newer therapies and immunosuppressive‑sparing approaches, and she noted that maintaining close multidisciplinary management and evaluating candidacy for simultaneous or subsequent kidney transplantation can improve outcomes for these complex patients; this accessible summary highlights the key clinical considerations and direction for future research in CKD after non‑kidney solid organ transplant.
In this Renal Grand Rounds, Dr. Weiner discusses primary aldosteronism, a common and often underdiagnosed cause of secondary hypertension. The presentation reviews the pathophysiology of the condition, including autonomous aldosterone production leading to sodium retention, potassium excretion, and suppression of renin.
The lecture covers the epidemiology of primary aldosteronism and highlights its prevalence, particularly among patients with resistant hypertension. It emphasizes the importance of early identification to reduce cardiovascular and renal complications.
Screening strategies are discussed, with a focus on the aldosterone-to-renin ratio as the primary screening test, along with the importance of appropriate patient preparation. Confirmatory testing methods, including saline infusion testing and oral sodium loading, are also reviewed.
The presentation further explains subtype classification, including the use of adrenal imaging and adrenal vein sampling to distinguish between unilateral and bilateral disease. Treatment options are outlined, including surgical management with adrenalectomy for unilateral disease and medical therapy with mineralocorticoid receptor antagonists such as spironolactone or eplerenone for bilateral disease.
This Grand Rounds lecture reviewed the expanding use of SGLT2 inhibitors in chronic kidney disease (CKD) and kidney transplant patients. The presentation explained how these medications were first developed for diabetes but are now widely used for kidney and heart protection.
The speaker described the historical development of SGLT2 inhibitors, including early discovery of glucose loss in urine and later development of modern selective agents such as empagliflozin and dapagliflozin. Large clinical trials showed that these medications improve outcomes beyond blood sugar control.
In patients with CKD, SGLT2 inhibitors were shown to slow kidney function decline, reduce protein in the urine, lower the risk of kidney failure, and reduce cardiovascular events such as heart failure and death. These benefits were seen in patients with and without diabetes.
The lecture also explained how these drugs work by reducing pressure inside the kidney, improving kidney blood flow regulation, and decreasing inflammation and metabolic stress. A small, expected drop in kidney function may occur when starting therapy, but this usually stabilizes over time.
The presentation then focused on kidney transplant recipients. These patients were not included in the major clinical trials, so evidence is more limited. Small studies suggest that SGLT2 inhibitors may improve blood sugar control, weight, and metabolic health without clear harm to the transplanted kidney. However, concerns remain about urinary tract infections, drug interactions, and long-term safety.
This Renal Grand Rounds lecture will examine the growing role of interventional and targeted therapies in transforming the care of patients with complement-mediated nephropathies. These complex kidney disorders, driven by dysregulation of the complement system, continue to present challenges in diagnosis, treatment selection, and long-term management.
The presentation will provide an overview of disease mechanisms, followed by a review of current standards of care and recently developed therapeutic approaches. Emphasis will be placed on emerging complement-targeted treatments and how they are shifting traditional management strategies. Clinical evidence and evolving guidelines will be discussed to support informed decision-making in practice.
The session will also address practical considerations, including patient evaluation, therapy selection, and monitoring of treatment response. Attendees will gain insight into how these advances can be applied in real-world clinical settings to improve patient outcomes.