Hot Topics in Kidney Health Podcast By National Kidney Foundation cover art

Hot Topics in Kidney Health

Hot Topics in Kidney Health

By: National Kidney Foundation
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The latest in kidney research, care, and treatment.Copyright 2021 All rights reserved. Hygiene & Healthy Living
Episodes
  • Hyperphosphatemia: What Kidney Patients Need to Know

    Hyperphosphatemia: What Kidney Patients Need to Know
    Mar 24 2026

    Join us for the discussion on the treatment and management of hyperphosphatemia or high phosphorus levels in the blood, a common challenge experienced by people living with chronic kidney disease on dialysis.

    In this episode we heard from:

    Dr. Annabel Biruete is an Assistant Professor and Registered Dietitian in the Department of Nutrition Science at Purdue University and an Adjunct Assistant Professor in the Division of Nephrology at the Indiana University School of Medicine. Her broad clinical interest is nutrition in kidney diseases. Dr. Biruete’s research aims to study the effects of nutritional and pharmacological therapies for chronic kidney disease on the gastrointestinal tract and gut microbiome. Additionally, Dr. Biruete is interested in improving outcomes in the Hispanic/LatinX community living with chronic kidney disease, primarily targeting nutritional interventions using language- and culturally-concordant lifestyle educational materials.

    Melissa Tuff has been living with chronic kidney disease for 30 years. Her journey began in 1996 on her 17th birthday when she “crashed” into dialysis following a misdiagnosed UTI. She was on in-center hemodialysis for 9 and a half years until she received a life-changing kidney transplant that lasted 11 years. In 2016 her kidney rejected and since then, she continued treatment with 4 years of peritoneal dialysis and 6 years of solo home hemodialysis.

    She utilizes her Social Media pages for digital education & patient empowerment by hosting educational TikTok Live sessions while performing solo home hemodialysis; offering real-time insight into dialysis life and empowering others to take an active role in their treatment. Her goal is to build a support community and reduce the stigma around kidney disease by fostering open, educational, and uplifting conversations online while providing resources and guidance as to how one can live long and well on dialysis.

    Dr. Jaime Uribarri is a practicing nephrologist and clinical investigator in NYC. He has been in the Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai, NYC, since 1990, where he is currently Professor of Medicine and Director of the Renal Clinic and the Home Dialysis Program at the Mount Sinai Hospital. In parallel with his clinical activities, Dr Uribarri has been very active in clinical investigation for more than 40 years. His main areas of research have been on acid-base and fluid and electrolytes disorders as well as nutrition in chronic kidney disease and diabetic patients. He has published well over 200 peer-reviewed papers, written many chapters in books and edited several books. He has lectured extensively on these research topics in New York City as well as in national and international meetings.

    Additional Resources

    High Phosphorus

    Mineral and Bone Disorder (CKD-MBD)

    Secondary Hyperparathyroidism (SHPT)

    ASN Kidney Health Guidance on Potassium and Phosphorus Food Additives

    Do you have comments, questions, or suggestions? Email us at NKFpodcast@kidney.org. Also, make sure to rate and review us wherever you listen to podcasts.
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    39 mins
  • Diversity in Clinical Trials

    Diversity in Clinical Trials
    Mar 13 2026
    For people living with kidney disease, clinical trials can offer hope—but not without questions or concerns. Today, we talk with Dr. Nadine Barrett, Glenda Roberts, and Luz Baqueiro about lived experience, community trust, and the power of being asked. In this episode we heard from: Dr. Nadine J. Barrett is a Professor in the Department of Social Sciences and Health Policy in the Division of Public Health Sciences and the inaugural Senior Associate Dean of Community Engagement and Equity in Research at Wake Forest School of Medicine, she is Associate Director of Community Outreach and Engagement for Wake Forest Comprehensive Cancer Center, the Clinical Translational Science Institute and the Maya Angelou Center for Health Equity. Prior to joining Wake Forest, Dr. Barrett served 13 years in senior leadership roles at Duke University, as the Founding Director of both the Duke Center for Equity in Research and the nationally awarded, Duke Cancer Institute's Office of Health Equity. She is also President of the national Association of Cancer Care Centers, in Washington DC. A medical sociologist by training, Dr. Barrett is a health disparities researcher, expert equity strategist, and a nationally recognized leader in facilitating authentic community, healthcare, and academic partnerships to advance health equity. She develops multi-level interventions to address implicit bias, structural and systemic racism, and inequities that limit access to quality research and trustworthy health care among underserved and marginalized populations. Dr. Barrett brings an equity lens to her work and collaborations to enhance healthcare systems, close the disparities gap in health outcomes, and increase diverse and broad representation in research participation and the research workforce. Glenda Roberts: Prior to joining the Mount Sinai Center for Kidney Disease Innovation as the Director of Communications and Patient Engagement, Glenda V. Roberts was an Information Technology executive with over 35 years of experience with top-caliber corporations, including General Electric, Microsoft and Johnson & Johnson. She was also the Executive Director of the Seattle Transplant House, and the Director of External Relations & Patient Engagement at the University of Washington Center for Dialysis Innovation (CDI) and the Kidney Research Institute (KRI). Before going on dialysis, Glenda managed the progression of her disease for over 40 years using diet and exercise. Since her transplant in 2010, she’s completed nine half marathons. Based upon her personal experience with kidney disease, Glenda is a passionate activist for kidney research and patients living with kidney disease. She’s involved in myriad patient-centered national and international health care transformation initiatives. All are focused on addressing patient preferences and improving patient-reported outcomes. Glenda brings the patient voice to several NIH/NIDDK government and industry research efforts (Kidney Precision Medicine Project, APOLLO), as well as the American Society of Nephrology’s Current & Emerging Threats (C-ET) Steering Committee. She’s the inaugural co-chair of the Critical Path Institute’s Biomarker Data Repository Governance Committee, and a member of the Kidney Health Initiative (KHI) Board of Directors. Additionally, she contributes to the Advisory Boards of LifeCenter Northwest and Home Dialyzors United, and over 15 other industry and academic research advisory committees/boards focused on transplantation, kidney, cardiovascular, and metabolic health. As an ambassador for the National Kidney Foundation, the American Kidney Fund, and the American Association of Kidney Patients, Glenda’s advocacy tirelessly advances the voices, needs, and aspirations of the kidney community worldwide. Luz Baqueiro serves as a patient advocate with the National Kidney Foundation (NKF), providing feedback and helping develop new initiatives to better support the Latin American community affected by chronic kidney disease. She also raises awareness of the barriers faced by patients living with renal failure while educating and supporting her community in Georgia. In 2019, Luz was diagnosed with end-stage renal disease (ESRD). With limited resources in Georgia, she relied on emergency in-hospital dialysis for a year. In August 2021, through self-determination, self-education, and the support of her family and community, she received a kidney transplant. Additional Resources Clinical Trial Information Hub What is a Clinical Trial? Are Clinical Trials Safe? Do you have comments, questions, or suggestions? Email us at NKFpodcast@kidney.org. Also, make sure to rate and review us wherever you listen to podcasts.
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    45 mins
  • A Conversation with Xenotransplantation Experts

    A Conversation with Xenotransplantation Experts
    Feb 25 2026

    Last time we talked about kidney xenotransplantation, we were joined by Towana Loony and Tim Andrews, who shared their personal experiences with receiving a xenotransplant. Today, two doctors who helped propel xenotransplantation forward, Dr. Vineeta Kumar and Dr. Leonardo Riella, are here to explain the science and what comes next.

    This episode is supported by eGenesis and United Therapeutics

    In this episode we heard from:

    Vineeta Kumar is the lead nephrologist for UAB's Living Kidney Donor and Incompatible Kidney Transplant programs. She is an expert in kidney transplantation, living kidney donation, incompatible kidney transplant, kidney paired donation and cardiovascular outcomes after kidney transplantation. Kumar also engages in research in the prevention, treatment and prognosis of antibody mediated rejection. She has been named a "Top Doctor" by U.S. News & World Report each year since 2012.

    She has been lead facilitator of the UAB Schwartz Rounds since 2009, a program that brings together nurses, physicians, social workers, and other providers to discuss delivery of compassionate care. She was awarded the Brewer-Heslin Endowed Award for Professionalism in Medicine for the highly skilled and compassionate medical care she provides to her patients. Kumar was recently named "Best Educator" by the 2018, 2019 and 2020 UAB Medical School classes. She has previously served on the Education Committee for the American Society of Transplantation.

    Leonardo V. Riella, M.D., Ph.D. is the Harold and Ellen Danser Endowed Chair in Transplant Surgery at Harvard Medical School and the Medical Director of Kidney Transplantation at Massachusetts General Hospital. His research focuses on mechanisms of immune regulation and the development of novel therapies to promote transplant tolerance. In addressing kidney disease recurrence post-transplantation, he founded and leads the TANGO Consortium, the largest global effort dedicated to studying glomerular disease recurrence. In March 2024, Dr. Riella led the world’s first successful kidney xenotransplant from a gene-edited pig into a living human. He now leads the first FDA-approved pilot study in kidney xenotransplantation and is conducting high-dimensional immune profiling studies to characterize the human xeno-immune response and guide immunosuppressive strategies. Find out more about Dr. Riella's research here.

    Additional Resources

    Xenotransplantation Information

    Do you have comments, questions, or suggestions? Email us at NKFpodcast@kidney.org. Also, make sure to rate and review us wherever you listen to podcasts.
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    48 mins
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