Research has always been an important mission of the Nephrology Division at Baystate Medical Center. Currently there are more than 30 ongoing clinical trials studying different therapies for hyperparathyroidism in chronic dialysis patients, iron repletion therapy in dialysis patients, and new formulations to treat the anemia of renal failure in both predialysis and dialysis patients.

Current National Clinical Trials

The Nephrology Division is participating in many national clinic trials, including:

1. Canaglifozin in Diabetic Nephropathy and CHF
2. Empaglifozin in Diabetic and Non-Diabetic Nephropathy Progression
3. Bardoxolone for Adult Polycystic Kidney Disease Progression
4. Budesonide for IgA Nephropathy
5. Morphysis monoclonal antibody for membranous GN
6. Ferric citrate for ESRD hyperphosphatemia
7. Artificial Intelligence and Machine Learning for early detection of AKI and COVID complications (Dascena)
8. Difepikefolin for Uremia Pruritus
9. Bardoxolone for Alport’s Syndrome
10. Sparsantan for Alport’s Syndrome
11. Rodoxustat for ESRD Anemia
12. Tolvaptan to slow progressive APKD

Local Investigator Studies

1. A study of masked hypertension in renal transplant patients
2. Pulse Wave Velocity to Assist in Hypertension Management
3. Sudden cardiac death risk factors in ESRD patients
4. Risk Factors for calciphylaxis in ESRD patients
5. HCTZ/Spironolactone to treat BPD in VLBW infants
6. Optimum ICU nutrition in ESRD patients
7. New EKG Criteria for hyperkalemia in ESRD patients
8. What is the renal compensation for severe chronic hypercarbia with a PCO2 ≥ 80 mmHg
9. Hypoaldosteronism causes dialysis hypotension and is reversed by Florinef
10. Daramide for periodic paralysis
11. Forced Diuresis for lithium intoxication
12. Risk factors for electrolyte abnormalities in COVID-19 patients
13. Optimal volume management and assessment in critically ill AKI and ESRD patients

Publications

Peer-reviewed Journal Articles

In the last 5 years, the faculty in the Nephrology Division have published more than 70 peer-reviewed papers in the following journals. In addition, we are scientific reviewers for over 15 peer-reviewed journals including the JASN, CJASN, Kidney International, American Journal of Kidney Diseases, and many others.

• New England Journal of Medicine
• Journal of the American Medical Association
• Journal of the American Society of Nephrology
• Clinical Journal of the American Society of Nephrology
• American Journal of Kidney Diseases
• Annals of Internal Medicine
• Nephrology Dialysis and Transplant
• Seminars in Dialysis
• Cleveland Clinic Journal of Medicine
• American Journal of Nephrology
• Journal of Cardiac Failure
• Neonatology
• European Journal of Heart Failure
• Pediatric Research
• Journal of Pediatrics
• Journal of Palliative Medicine
• Advances in Chronic Kidney Disease
• Preventive Cardiology
• Journal of the American College of Cardiology
• Journal of Nephrology
• Hospital Practice
• Journal of Clinical Endocrinology and Metabolism
• Pediatric nephrology

Books and Book Chapters

Our faculty have published 15 book chapters in various text books, such as the Primer of Kidney Disease, Comprehensive Clinical Nephrology, and the Oxford Textbook of Nephrology and Clinical Decision Making in Nephrology

Dr. Michael Germain has also been the Chief Editor of the textbook, Supportive Care for the Renal Patient.