Our Renal-Electrolyte and Hypertension Division at Penn Medicine has been established as a leader in the field of nephrology, pioneering leading-edge diagnostic techniques and innovative treatments. We offer patients comprehensive health care options to treat their kidney (renal) disease and greatly improve their quality of life.
Penn's Renal Division consists of the following:
- An international reputation for implementing specialized diagnostic techniques and has expertise in performing and interpreting kidney biopsies
- Exceptional experience in diagnosing and treating patients with rare and complex renal disorders, including those with combined heart and kidney disease
- One of a select group of kidney and pancreas transplant programs to receive a Silver Level Award from the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services (HHS)
- The third hypertension program in the nation to receive accreditation from the American Society of Hypertension (ASH) as a Designated Comprehensive Hypertension Center
- Home to experienced physicians with national and regional reputations, recognized in Philadelphia Magazine's Top Docs™ list year after year
- Takes an active role in educating fellows and nephrologists nationwide
- Recognizes the need for diversity in the biomedical workforce and recruits and retains physicians and other health care professionals who represent our diverse patient population, strengthening the quality of our program and enhancing our overall clinical, research and educational mission
- Participates in cutting-edge research to further advance our understanding of renal disease
- Applies a multidisciplinary approach to care, collaborating with top specialists in every field across the health system
Penn nephrologists are dedicated to empowering their patients to make choices that are right for them. Our physicians ensure patients are educated on all of their treatment options.
Patients who choose Penn receive the following:
- Specialized one-on-one attention and care from compassionate physicians who work to achieve their patients' particular treatment goals and desires
- A full range of comprehensive treatment options
- Individualized treatment plans tailored to their unique needs
- Compassionate care from experts who are the best in their field
- Care at modern facilities equipped with the latest technology
- Comprehensive follow up care with access to on-call physicians and nurses around the clock
- Additional support from experienced nurses, nutritionists and social workers
The team that makes up Penn's Renal-Electrolyte and Hypertension Division combines the skill and compassion of experienced nephrologists, researchers and staff to provide outstanding care and services for patients with kidney disease. Our patients benefit from having multiple treatment options, each tailored to the individual, from medical experts across multiple disciplines collaborating with one another to advance patient well-being.
The Renal Division is one of the most experienced and technologically advanced departments of its kind nationwide. As a leader in the field of nephrology, we have pioneered many of the diagnostic and treatment options available today.
Our mission
The principal objective of the Renal-Electrolyte and Hypertension academic program is to provide outstanding patient care and to furnish an intensive and highly structured clinical and research experience for physicians in training. It is our goal to ensure that our physicians develop the skills necessary to become excellent clinicians and scientists who can carry out lifelong, independent laboratory or bedside research in nephrology.
Our mission reflects the original objectives of the institution when it established a renal program at the University of Pennsylvania in 1947. Since then, the Renal Division has always maintained a broad commitment to patient care, research in clinical medicine and scholarly enterprise. We are at a time when rapid advances in science, technology, and molecular and cell biology offer enormous possibilities for the further understanding of human renal disease. Demand for well-trained research physicians with genuine dedication to investigative medicine remains high. We are interested in the development of this future research faculty for reasons of national need.
Our clinical programs in support of this endeavor include active inpatient services at the Hospital of the University of Pennsylvania, the Philadelphia VA Medical Center (PVAMC), Penn Presbyterian Medical Center, four outpatient dialysis units, a renal transplantation program, and pediatrics through our affiliation with Children's Hospital of Philadelphia. We currently see over 1,250 new consults each year, make over 9,000 bedside visits, perform over 6,000 dialyses in the hospital, care for over 500 dialysis patients in our outpatient units, and participate in a transplant program that performs over 200 renal transplants each year. We also have active subspecialty outpatient programs including, general nephrology, chronic kidney disease, nephrolithiasis, transplantation and complex hypertension.
Currently over 40 faculty members serve the Renal Division and its extended research training program. Over one-third of the faculty members are oriented towards clinical teaching and patient care, and serve as a bridge between the laboratory and the bedside. Additional faculty have active research programs with interests in the field of nephrology, and serve as research trainers for over 20 post-doctoral fellows in our research laboratories. This research activity is supported by individual program project grants from the National Institutes of Health and the Renal Research Training Program (NIDDK-07006) as well as various other extramural agencies including the American Heart Association, the National Kidney Foundation, and the Juvenile Diabetes Foundation.
Our research program is focused on integrative biology applied to the structure or function of the kidney in health or disease. Scientific studies reflecting our research mission utilize the tools of basic molecular genetics, cellular biology, immunology, development, biochemistry, physiology, electrophysiology, and clinical epidemiology. Special emphasis is placed on investigations while bridging in vitro with in vivo approaches, basic science with clinical applications, or experimental models with human disease.
Our research efforts involve one or more general areas of focus:
- Glomerular biology
- Hypertension and clinical nephrology
- Immunobiology, autoimmunity and mechanisms of renal diseases
- Kidney development and structural biology
- Renal health care outcomes research
- Renal transport and metabolism
- Transplantation
There are active collaborative groups within these areas of research interests. In some cases faculty are working in several of these areas.
There are also extended research programs that involve the following:
- Center for Molecular Studies in Digestive and Liver Diseases
- Connective Tissue Institute at the University Science Center
- Diabetes Research Center, the Cancer Center
- Graduate Groups in Immunology, Molecular Biology, Physiology and Cell Biology.
- Institute for Human Gene Therapy
- Veterans Administration
- Wistar Institute
Giving to the division of renal-electrolyte and hypertension
In memory of Dr. Sidney Kobrin's commitment to his patients and colleagues, and in honor of his legacy at Penn, the family asks that contributions in memory of Dr. Kobrin are made in support of the Penn Medicine Division of Renal Medicine. Please make checks payable to the Penn Medicine, and include “Division of Renal Medicine” on memo line or an enclosed note, and send to Penn Medicine Development Office c/o Andrew Deal, 3535 Market St. Suite 750, Philadelphia, PA 19104. Donations can also be made by visiting: pennmedicine.org/renal-giving or calling 267-788-0975.
The research and studies conducted here at Penn Medicine go on to become the breakthrough treatments of tomorrow, and we're proud to be a national leader in kidney care. Your gift can help us make our tripartite mission of outstanding patient care, scientific advancement and continuing education possible.
Make a gift to the division of renal medicine
To make a gift in support of the Division of Renal Medicine, please visit our giving page.
You may also send a check payable to “Trustees of the University of Pennsylvania” to the address below:
Andrew Deal
Associate Director of Development
Penn Medicine Development & Alumni Relations
3535 Market Street, Suite 750
Philadelphia, PA 19104
For more information about how you can support the Division of Renal Medicine, contact Andrew Deal at 215-898-8643, mobile 267-549-9063 or adea@upenn.edu.