Program for Kidney Health and Disease (PKHD)

Chronic kidney disease (CKD) affects an estimated 37 million Americans or more than 1 in 7 U.S. adults.  Nearly 808,000 people in the United States are living with end-stage renal disease (ESKD) that requires dialysis or kidney transplant. 

Kidney

The Program for Kidney Health and Disease includes investigators in the Department of Physiology and from across the University of Arizona who are actively engaged in the study of kidney health and disease.  Current areas of focus include genetics, epigenetics, and multi-omics of human kidney function and disease, polycystic kidney disease, neuromodulation of kidney function, kidney organoids, acute kidney injury, and kidney metabolism.

Medicare spending for beneficiaries with CKD (not including ESKD) ages 66 or older exceeded $75 billion in 2020, representing 25.2% of Medicare spending in this age group.  Medicare-related spending for beneficiaries with ESKD totaled $50.8 billion in 2020.  

Other kidney problems include acute kidney injury, kidney tumors, kidney cysts, kidney stones, and kidney infections.

Benjamin R. Lee, MD, MBA

Department Chair, Urology
Professor, Urology
The George W Drach, MD Endowed Chair
Director, GU Cancer & Disease Oriented Strategic Planning Team; University of Arizona Cancer Center

Mingyu Liang, MB, PhD

Cosden Professor & Chair, Physiology
Director, Molecular Systems Medicine Initiative (MSMI)
Professor, Genetics - GIDP
Professor, Physiological Sciences - GIDP
Professor, Statistics and Data Science - GIDP

Ronald M. Lynch, PhD

Professor, Physiology
Associate Professor Pharmacology
Professor BIO5 Institute
Director Aribi Institute
Professor Biomedical Engineering
Professor Physiological Sciences - GIDP
Associate Director Shared Resources, University of Arizona Cancer Center

Rick Schnellmann, PhD

Dean, R. Ken Coit College of Pharmacy
Howard J. Schaeffer Endowed Chair in Pharmaceutical Sciences
Professor, Pharmacology & Toxicology
National Advisory Board Member

Marvin J. Slepian, MD

Regents Professor of Medicine, Division of Cardiology, UA College of Medicine – Tucson
Regents Professor of Medical Imaging, Department of Medical Imaging, UA College of Medicine – Tucson
Member, UA Sarver Heart Center and UA BIO5 Institute
Regents Professor of Materials Science & Engineering, UA College of Engineering
Regents Professor and Associate Department Head, Clinical & Industrial Affairs, Biomedical Engineering, UA College of Engineering
McGuire Scholar, UA Eller College of Management
Director, Arizona Center for Accelerated Biomedical Innovation, University of Arizona

Ken Wilund, PhD

Professor and Director, School of Nutritional Sciences and Wellness