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Grant Award News
O'Brien Kidney Center Core Grant
UM Press Release - 10/27/2008
The National Institute of Diabetes and Digestive and Kidney Diseases has awarded an O'Brien Kidney Center Core grant for $3.8 million over five years to the University of Michigan. The investigators are based in the Medical School (including the Departments of Internal Medicine, Pediatrics, Pathology and Cell and Molecular Biology), other University Departments including the Life Sciences Institute, Bioinformatics and Computational Biology, Statistics and the School of Education, as well as industry and institutions nationally and internationally. U-M has received NIDDK funding for O'Brien Kidney Centers since 1988 under the direction of Dr. Roger C. Wiggins MB, BChir. This grant will fund the Center through 2013.
A multi-disciplinary team of kidney researchers will focus on how to apply knowledge gained in basic science, genetics and systems biology to people with kidney disease at the University of Michigan, Wayne State University, St. John's Hospital in Detroit and the University of Illinois-Chicago. The goal is to develop improved diagnosis, prevention strategies and treatments for people with kidney diseases.
For more information, please contact the Division of Nephrology in the Medical School at 734-936-4890.
Establishing a Surveillance System for Chronic Kidney Disease in the U.S. - UPDATE
- Principal Investigator: Rajiv Saran, MD, MRCP, MS
- Coinvestigators:
- Eric Young, MD, MS
- Brenda Gillespie, PhD
- Friedrich Port, MD, MS (Arbor Research, Ann Arbor)
- William Herman, MD
- Randall Webb, BA
- Jerry Yee, MD (Henry Ford Hospital, Detroit, MI
Chronic kidney disease (CKD) has been recognized as a national health priority. While surveillance systems for end stage renal disease (ESRD) are well established, the U.S. lacked a comprehensive, systematic surveillance program to capture and track the manifestations of CKD in the larger population of individuals who have varying degrees of CKD (pre-ESRD). In October 2006, two centers - the University of Michigan (UM) and Johns Hopkins University (JHU) - were simultaneously funded to initiate the development of a national CKD surveillance system for the U.S. The following is a summaryof the Common Protocol as well as the accomplishments of the project thus far:
- Six major topics relevant to CKD surveillance
- disease burden
- risk factors
- awareness
- processes of care
- health outcomes
- health system capacity
and important measures were first identified after extensive discussion between UM and JHU teams, and input from the Steering Committee and Advisory Board.
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Several existing national/regional data sources were then identified, interviewed and entered in a database.
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Data were then obtained from selected datasources and analyzed with respect to the major topics and the top 5 measures.
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The results have been compiled in the form of the First Report of this national CKD surveillance system, which was submitted to the CDC and Advisory Board for review and comment on September 3, 2008. The final first report will be submitted to the CDC by September 29. Six abstracts and two manuscripts have resulted from this project (with more in preparation).
Reimbursement of Travel Expenses and Subsistence Costs for Living Organ Donors
Drs. Akinlolu Ojo and Robert Merion, and The American Society of Transplant Surgeons (ASTS) have received a major grant from the Health Resources and Services Administration (HRSA), U.S. Department of Health and Human Services. The 4-year grant will provide reimbursement of travel expenses and subsistence costs for living organ donors, removing an important financial disincentive to living organ donation. As part of the efforts to "increase organ donation," the UM-ASTS project team will work closely with HRSA to develop an efficient nationwide system to identify potential live organ donors who face financial hardship in meeting travel and subsistence expenses associated with the process of evaluation and undergoing live organ donation procedures. The project scientists will critically evaluate the specific impact of the reimbursement program on facilitating live organ donations that would not have otherwise been possible. Under provisions of the grant, a National Living Donor Assistance Center will be established at the ASTS National Office, and the vast majority of the $8 million grant will be used for direct reimbursements to potential and actual living donors.
The UM-ASTS Project Team consists of the following individuals:
- Project Director: Akinlolu Ojo, MD, PhD (University of Michigan, Department of Internal Medicine)
- Deputy Project Director: Robert M. Merion, MD (University of Michigan, Department of Surgery)
- Project Manager: Katrina Crist, MBA (ASTS)
- Project Research Scientist: Barry Hong, PhD (Washington University, St. Louis)
Under the leadership of this talented and proven team of professionals, it is estimated that the grant will make live organ donation possible for an additional 800-1,000 individuals annually.
Dialysis News
Newly Renovated Acute Dialysis Unit Re-Opens
On Friday, October 12, 2007, the newly renovated Acute Dialysis Unit re-opened on 7DS. For the preceding 7 weeks, dialysis care had been provided on a temporary unit on 8D while construction occurred. This project was the culmination of years of planning and provided key upgrades in the areas of patient safety, patient comfort and staff efficiency.
Highlights of some of the improvements to the unit:
- Installation of overhead lighting for better visibility.
- Installation of radiant heat panels in each dialysis cubicle capable of providing individualized ambient temperature control.
- Installation of overhead patient lifts in each cubicle to provide for safer patient transfers and less physical demands on staff.
- Upgraded sinks and cabinetry in each dialysis cubicle.
- Structural re-organization of the unit layout to provide improved visibility of patients at all times.
- Renovated nursing station providing increased nursing workspace.
The Livonia Dialysis Unit featured in the Observer & Eccentric Newspapers (April 9, 2006)
"Another World - Dialysis patients put their lives on hold" by Linda Ann Chomin, Staff Writer, Observer & Eccentric Newspapers
Click here for scan of actual article
Click here for text only version of article
"Give life by signing up for organ donation registry" by Linda Ann Chomin, Staff Writer, Observer & Eccentric Newspapers
Click here for web link to article
Click here for text only version of article
Nocturnal Hemodialysis Program implemented (April 2006)
Transplant News
The University of Michigan Hospital is listed as the 6th most active renal transplant center in 2004 by Nephrology News & Issues (November 2005). NN&I tabulated data supplied by the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services. Centers are ranked based on the number of renal transplants performed, including Medicare and non-Medicare patients (combined kidney-pancreas transplants and Veterans Administration transplant center data was not included).
Press Releases
UMHS receives Organ Donation Medal of Honor
Shayman new associate VP for research
CMS Awards Contract for Multiple Research Studies to URREA
U-M launches Michigan Comprehensive Diabetes Center (September 20, 2005)
The following do not represent all of the releases that have been released by the University, only those pertaining to our Nephrology department. For a listing of all releases please check out the News Release page.
News Articles:
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