Research & Publications

Our strong clinical research program, especially in the fields of acute kidney injury and hypertension, has been complemented by our growing basic research program in regulation of ion transport. We have obtained extramural funding for a broad range of clinical research projects in the areas of diabetic nephropathy, dialysis, nutrition and renal transplantation. Our NIH funded basic science research is focused on hypertension and regulation of ion transplant by FXYD proteins.

Research/Clinical Member

Bonita Falkner, M.D.
Director of Hypertension
Research interests include the genetic basis of essential hypertension, insulin resistance and obesity

Representative publications:

FALKNER B, Gidding SS, Portman R, Rosner B. Blood pressure variability and classification of prehypertension and hypertension in adolescence. Pediatrics 122:243-249, 2008

Cheng C, Diamond JJ, FALKNER B. Functional capillary rarefaction in mild blood pressure elevation. Clinical and Translational Science 1:75-79, 2008

Cheng C, Daskalakis C, FALKNER B. Capillary rarefaction in treated and untreated hypertensive subjects. Therapeutic Advances in Cardiovascular Disease 2:79-88, 2008

FALKNER B. Children and Adolescents with Obesity Associated Hypertension. J of the American Society of Hypertension 2:267-274, 2008

Sharma K, Ramachandra S, Qiu G, Usui HK, Zhu Y, Dunn SR, Ouedraogo R, Hough K, McCue P, Chan L, FALKNER B, Goldstein BJ. Adiponectin regulates albuminuria and podocyte function in mice. Journal of Clinical Investigation. 118(5):1645-1656, 2008

Specchia C, Scott K, Fortina P, Devoto M, FALKNER B. Association of a polymorphic variant of the adiponectin gene with insulin resistance in African Americans. Clinical and Translational Science 1:194-199, 2008

Lande MB, Adams H, FALKNER B, Waldstein SR, Schwartz GJ, Szilagyi PG, Wang H, Palumbo D. Parental assessments of internalizing and externalizing behavior and executive function in children with primary hypertension. J of Pediatrics 154:207-212, 2009

Huan Y, Kushner H, FALKNER B. Insulin resistance predicts deterioration in glucose tolerance in non-diabetic young African Americans. Metabolism Clinical and Experimental 58:689-695, 2009

Stephanie DeLoach, M.D.
Associate Director of Hypertension Research
Research interests include measures arterial stiffness and wave reflection and hypertension

Representative publications:

Falkner B, DELOACH S. Refining the blood pressure phenotype in children: when does target organ damage begin? Hypertension. 2009 Jun;53(6):905-6.

DELOACH SS, Joffe MM, Mai X, Goral S, Rosas SE. Aortic calcification predicts cardiovascular events and all-cause mortality in renal transplantation. Nephrol Dial Transplant. 2009 Apr;24(4):1314-9.

DELOACH SS, Townsend RR. Vascular stiffness: its measurement and significance for epidemiologic and outcome studies. Clin J Am Soc Nephrol. 2008 Jan;3(1):184-92.

Won Han, M.D.
Director, Acute Kidney Injury Program
Research interests include biomarkers in acute kidney injury

Representative publications:

HAN WK, Wagener G, Zhu Y, Wang S, Lee HT. Urinary biomarkers in the early detection of acute kidney injury after cardiac surgery. CJASN 2009, 4:873-882

HAN WK, Waikar SS, Johnson A, Betensky RA, Dent CL, Devarajan P, Bonventre JV. Urinary biomarkers in the early diagnosis of acute kidney injury. KI 2008, 73:863-869.

HAN WK, Alinani A, Wu CL, Michaelson D, Loda M, McGovern FJ, Thadhani R, Bonventre JV. Human Kidney Injury Molecule-1 (hKIM-1) is a tissue and urinary tumor marker of Renal Cell Carcinoma. J Am Soc Nephrol 2005, 16:1126-1134.