Biography

Professional Summary:-

I have practiced nephrology for over 40 years. During that time I have treated patients with virtually every aspect of kidney disease. I have directed dialysis and transplant programs as well. 

For many years, I pursued laboratory research into the mechanisms underlying hypertension and renal disease during pregnancy. Consequently, I developed a special interest in kidney- related complications in pregnancy such as preeclampsia, a particular form of hypertension in pregnant women. 

I have worked in collaboration with other members of the Erie County Medical Center (ECMC) transplant team and researchers from the University at Buffalo School of Pharmacy and Pharmaceutical Sciences to pursue clinical research in transplant recipients. The results of these interdisciplinary studies have helped us develop expertise in the use and complications of medications used in transplant immunosuppression regimens. In research supported by the National Institutes of Health (NIH), the University at Buffalo and various pharmaceutical companies, we have helped define the differences that exist between male and female, and between white and black patients in regard to the metabolism of kidney medications. The differences we have defined benefit our patients: we can identify the best treatment protocol for each individual patient we care for. 

In recent years, we have been involved in a research project on the use of the only medication that appears to specifically benefit patients with polycystic kidney disease (PKD). Indeed, we have become one of the largest loci in the United States for these studies. This research, along with the many patients with PKD that we have cared for, has helped us become more astute in the medical management of patients and has allowed us to render cutting-edge care to them. 

We are also developing special programs for patients coping with any form of chronic kidney disease (CKD). A large project funded by New York State and developed in conjunction with UB’s Institute for Healthcare Informatics (IHI) has aided our understanding of how CKD patients in Western New York are treated. The large database of the IHI has made it possible for us to identify areas where new programs can be focused, resulting in improved care for CKD patients. This dynamic interaction between clinical research and patient care is the model I strive for as an academic physician because it results in the best possible care options for my patients.