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Kidney Health Research Institute

Kidney disease affects one in every seven adults, and is associated with diminished quality of life and excessive morbidity and mortality. Geisinger Kidney Health Research Institute (KHRI) is dedicated to decreasing the burden of kidney disease through a clinic-based, patient-oriented research program leveraging several system-level assets at Geisinger.

Our team

Investigators

  • Alexander Chang, MD, MS
  • Jamie A Green, MD, MS
  • Prince Mohan, MD

Biostatisticians

  • Lester H Kirchner, PhD
  • Amanda Young, MS

Research support staff

  • Christina Yule, research project manager II
  • Lauren Gummo, research project coordinator
  • Sara Kwiecien, senior research assistant
  • Megan Oliveri, research assistant

 

KHRI researchers are engaged in projects with other health services researchers, social scientists, dietitians, biostatisticians, informaticists, health economists and geneticists at Geisinger's research institutes and centers.

Research focus

Acute kidney injury

Computer generated kidney
Utilizing advanced computational techniques in the clinic to identify patients at risk for acute kidney injury.

Burden of kidney disease

Seated man reaching for his back
Investigate risk factors and risk prognostication of chronic kidney disease and its associated complications.

Genetics of kidney disease

Genetic counseling field to rapidly expand
Combining electronic health record and genomic data to target specific kidney diseases and the complications associated with diabetes and obesity.

Health literacy and outcomes

Patient with tablet looking at MyGeisinger patient portal
Investigating the relationships between health literacy and health outcomes, and designing interventions to improve both.

Obesity and diet quality

Person on a weight scale
Evaluating the impact of bariatric surgery and diet intervention in relation to kidney disease.

Patient centered care

Doctor explains the Geisinger Extra plan with patient.
Measuring the effectiveness of a new healthcare delivery process to improve the care of patients with advanced kidney disease.

Kidney Patient Advisory Council (KPAC)

The KPAC was formed by the Geisinger Kidney Health Research Institute in June 2016, as an initiative to enhance partnership and collaboration between patients and kidney health researchers and clinicians. The advisory council consists of 11 patients with CKD, in varying stages of CKD. The goal of the advisory council is to get feedback about existing and future research KHRI projects, to help incorporate patients as partners in clinical research. The advisory council meets three times a year, and often topics discussed are initiated by patient input.

KHRI research resources