Kevin William Finkel, M.D., FACP, FASN

Professor of Medicine

Division & Program Director

Vice Chair of Clinical Medicine

Associate Program Director IM Residency

kevin.w.finkel@uth.tmc.edu

BOARD CERTIFICATION

INTERNAL MEDICINE: American Board of Internal Medicine – Internal Medicine 1990, 2000

NEPHROLOGY: American Board of Internal Medicine – Nephrology 1994, 2004

RESIDENCY: Northwestern University – Internal Medicine Chicago, Illinois 1987-1991

FELLOWSHIP: Barnes Hospital/Wash. Univ. School of Medicine – Nephrology St. Louis, Missouri 1991-1994

CLINICAL SPECIALTIES: Acute Kidney Injury, Intensive Care Nephrology, Transplantation Medicine, Renal Disease Cancer Patients.

RESEARCH INTERESTS: AKI in the ICU, Biomarkers in AKI and Role of dialysis in ICU.

 

John R. Foringer, M.D.

Assistant Professor

Associate Program Director

Course Director Fundamentals of Clinical Medicine

john.r.foringer@uth.tmc.edu

BOARD CERTIFICATION

INTERNAL MEDICINE: American Board of Internal Medicine – Internal Medicine 2000

NEPHROLOGY: American Board of Internal Medicine – Nephrology 2003

RESIDENCY: The University of Texas Medical School at Houston - Internal Medicine 1996-2000

FELLOWSHIP: The University of Texas Medical School at Houston - Renal Diseases and Hypertension 2000-2002

CLINICAL SPECIALTIES: Critical Care Nephrology, Renal Diseases in Cancer Patients, Transplantation, ADPKD

 

Jayarama S. Guntupalli, M.D.

Associate Professor

 

BOARD CERTIFICATION

INTERNAL MEDICINE: American Board of Internal Medicine – Internal Medicine 1984

NEPHROLOGY: American Board of Internal Medicine – Nephrology 2001

RESIDENCY: District of Columbia General Hospital, Washington, D.C.  – Internal Medicine1976-1978

FELLOWSHIP: University of Michigan Medical Center, Ann Arbor, Michigan – Nephrology 1978-1980

CLINICAL SPECIALTIES: General Nephrology, ESRD, CKD, Glomerulonephritis

Diana Jalal, M.D.

Assistant Professor

diana.i.jalal@uth.tmc.edu

BOARD CERTIFICATION

INTERNAL MEDICINE: American Board of Internal Medicine -Internal Medicine 2002

NEPHROLOGY: American Board of Internal Medicine -Nephrology 2004.

RESIDENCY: University of Iowa Hospitals and Clinics - Internal Medicine, Iowa City, IA 1999-2002

CLINCAL FELLOWSHIP: Baylor College of Medicine - Internal Medicine, Nephrology, Houston, TX 2002-2003

RESEARCH FELLOWSHIP: The University of Texas Medical School at Houston - Renal Diseases and Hypertension, Houston, TX 2003-2005

CLINICAL SPECIALTIES: General Nephrology, ESRD, CKD, Glomerulonephritis  

RESEARCH INTERESTS: Dr. Jalal is particularly interested in the molecular mechanisms by which diabetes incites end organ tissue damage in general, and the kidney specifically. She is currently exploring the role of epigenetic post translational modifications of histones in impacting the regulation of certain key mediators of diabetic kidney disease, specifically she aims to examine the role of histone H3 methylation on lys79 by a protein complex (AF9-Dot1) plays in the regulation of Connective Tissues Growth Factor (CTGF) transcription.

 

Andrew Mark Kahn, M.D.

Professor of Medicine

andrew.m.kahn@uth.tmc.edu

BOARD CERTIFICATION

INTERNAL MEDICINE: American Board of Internal Medicine – Internal Medicine 1978

NEPHROLOGY: American Board of Internal Medicine – Nephrology 1981

RESIDENCY: Michael Reese Hospital - Internal Medicine Chicago, Illinois 1975-1978

FELLOWSHIP: Yale University School of Medicine – Nephrology New Haven, CT 1978-1981

CLINICAL SPECIALTIES: Pre-ESRD, ESRD, Dialysis, Hemo, Acid Base/Electrolytes

RESEARCH INTERESTS: His laboratory studies the molecular mechanisms of hypertension in insulin-resistant states. He equips trainees with expertise in insulin signaling and vascular biology. Insulin can inhibit vascular smooth muscle cell migration, and insulin’s failure to do so in insulin-resistant states might contribute to enhanced atherosclerosis. His group is testing the overall hypothesis that insulin acts synergistically with nitric oxide to stimulate cyclic GMP production, which inhibits VSMC migration in-vitro, and testing whether insulin inhibits VSMC migration in-vivo after balloon catheter injury of carotid arteries in normal and insulin resistant obese dogs. The effects of insulin on cultured VSMC aerobic glycolysis, redox potential, cyclic GMP levels, Cai2+, CaM kinase II and MAPK phosphorylation and activities and MKP-1 expression are being assessed. VSMC migration is measured via Boyden Chamber and wound migration assays. The role of MKP-1 and potential cross talk between CaM kinase II and MAPK is being studied using antisense oligonucleotides and/or transfections with dominant negative or constitutively active mutants. Migration of VSMCs following balloon injury of dog carotid artery is being assessed by measuring the progression of BrdU, smooth muscle ?-actin and iNOS labeled VSMCs from the media to the neointima. These studies will determine the mechanism for insulin’s inhibition of VSMC migration and may help explain the link between enhanced atherosclerosis/restenosis and insulin resistance.

Donald Andrew Molony, M.D.

Professor of Medicine

donald.a.molony@uth.tmc.edu

BOARD CERTIFICATION

INTERNAL MEDICINE: American Board of Internal Medicine – Internal Medicine 1982

NEPHROLOGY: American Board of Internal Medicine – Nephrology 1986

RESIDENCY: Southwestern Medical School Parkland Memorial Hospital – Internal Medicine, Dallas, Texas 1979-1981

FELLOWSHIP: Southwestern Medical School – Nephrology Dallas, Texas 1981-1984

CLINICAL SPECIALTIES: CKD, Glomerulonephritis, ESRD, Metebolic Bone Disease, Anemia, Toxic Renal Injury

RESEARCH INTERESTS: Dr. Molony’s research interests include an investigation of the cellular and molecular mechanisms of distal nephron injury and repair, including renal tubular cell apoptosis.  These investigations are conducted in parallel with an examination of the clinical syndromes of toxicant-related acute and chronic renal failure. He has previously found that chlorinated hydrocarbons and other environmental toxicants injure MTAL cells via their interaction with GABA-like Cl- channels in the basolateral membrane resulting in apoptosis. Electrophysiology, biochemical, and molecular biological approaches are used to address these basic research questions as well as in the development of biomarkers for the epidemiological studies. His laboratory has developed biomarkers panels that have allowed for the recognition of specific distal nephron injury from site-selective nephrotoxicants. Dr. Molony, in collaboration with researchers at the UT-School of Public Health and at the University of New Mexico is conducting case-control and cohort studies in human populations exposed to potential distal-nephron nephrotoxicants to determine the burden of the environmental toxicant or drug induced renal injury and its clinical manifestations.  Most recently, in collaboration with UNM and the Navajo Health Board, he has been conducting epidemiologic and biomarker studies to determine the relationship between uranium and other metal exposures and CKD in this population.

 

Bhamidipati V.R. Murthy, M.B.B.S., M.D., D.M.

Associate Professor

bhamidipati.murthy@uth.tmc.edu

BOARD CERTIFICATION

INTERNAL MEDICINE: American Board of Internal Medicine 2000

NEPHROLOGY: American Board of Internal Medicine, Nephrology 2001

RESIDENCY: Post-Graduate Institute of Medical Education and Research, Chandigarh, India 1979-81; Cleveland Clinic Foundation, Cleveland, OH 1998-2000

FELLOWSHIP: Post-Graduate Institute of Medical Education and Research, Chandigarh, India – 1983-85; New England Medical Center, Boston, MA – 1995-97; Cleveland Clinic Foundation, Cleveland, OH – 2000-2001

CLINICAL SPECIALTIES: CKD, ESRD, Glomerulonephritis, Diabetic Renal Disease, Hypertension, Dialysis, Transplantation, Renal Biopsy

RESEARCH INTERESTS: Dr. Murthy had gained clinical research experience at the Tuft’s New England Medical Center, Boston, MA, where he investigated the graft and patient outcomes associated with hepatitis C and hepatitis G virus infections among dialysis patients and renal transplant recipients.  He also performed in-vivo studies on biocompatibility of dialysis membranes and effects of reuse on small molecule clearances with different dialysis membranes.  His current research interests include outcomes of chronic kidney disease (CKD) and end-stage renal disease (ESRD) patients on dialysis.  In particular, he is working on prevalence and outcomes associated with cardiovascular disease in CKD and ESRD patients on dialysis, using national databases.  He is also investigating the reasons for ethnic differences in the prevalence and outcomes in patients with CKD and ESRD using these databases.  He is currently involved in a large multicenter clinical trial to lower cardiovascular outcomes in ESRD patients with newer therapies for secondary hyperparathyroidism.   Trainees will have exposure to clinical research methodology and outcomes research.

 

Joshua Alex Samuels, M.D., MPH

Assistant Professor

joshua.a.samuels@uth.tmc.edu

BOARD CERTIFICATION

INTERNAL MEDICINE: American Board of Internal Medicine - Internal Medicine 1999

PEDIATRIC NEPHROLOGY: American Board of Pediatrics - Pediatric Nephrology 2003

NEPHROLOGY: American Board of Internal Medicine - Nephrology 2004

RESIDENCY: University of Rochester, Combined Internal Medicine/Pediatrics, Rochester, NY 1995-1999

FELLOWSHIP: The University of Texas Medical School at Houston, Departments of Internal Medicine and Pediatrics, Divisions of Renal Diseases and Hypertension and Pediatric Nephrology - Houston, TX 199-2003

CLINICAL SPECIALTIES: Acute Kidney Failure, Dialysis (Hemo, PD, CRRT), Cancer Nephrology, ERSD, Pediatric Hypertension, Hematuria, Nephrotic Syndrome, Acid-Base and Electrolyte Abnormalities, Kidney Transplantation, and Kidney Biopsy.

RESEARCH INTERESTS: Expertise and investigative interests are in adult and pediatric nephrology. Research interests in Pediatric Hypertension, Acute Kidney Failure, continuous renal replacement therapies, and kidney diseases in cancer patients.

Pediatric Nephrology

 

Wengzheng Zhang, Ph.D.

Assistant Professor

wenzheng.zhang@uth.tmc.edu

EDUCATION:
Post Doctoral Training: Howard Hughes Medical Institute in Baylor College of Medicine
Ph.D.: University of Texas Health Science Center at M.D.Anderson Cancer Center 1998

RESEARCH INTEREST: Dr Zhang is interested in chromatin-mediated gene regulation in the kidney and vasculature. In the nucleus of eukaryotic cells, DNA is coiled around the histone octamer to form the nucleosome, which is the building block for higher-order chromatin structures. Dynamic changes in chromatin structure play important roles in many biological processes, such as DNA replication, repair, recombination, and transcription. One of the mechanisms by which cells modulate their chromatin structure is the covalent modification of histones. These modifications include acetylation, methylation, phosphorylation and ubiquitination. Dr. Zhang’s current research is focused on the following two genes.

1) H+/K+ ATPase ?2 subunit gene (HK?2). HK?2 is a member of H+/K+ ATPase gene family and participates in the control of body K+ balance. Deletion of HK?2 gene in mice causes profound hypokelemia. In kidney and colon, HK?2 may also participate in bicarbonate absorption. Dr. Zhang uses tissue cultured cells and transgenic mice to define the promoter fragments that confer HK?2 tissue-specific expression pattern and to identify transcription factors controlling its expression.

2) mDot1-like gene. Recently, Dr. Zhang cloned a new mouse histone methyltransferase gene (mDOT1-like). This gene has been highly conserved from yeast, C. elegans, mouse, to human, suggesting it plays a very important role in cell growth and development. Preliminary data indicate that the protein encoded by the mDot1-like gene, like those encoded by its homologue in other organisms, methylates histone H3 lysine 79. Dr. Zhang’s long-term goal is to define mDOT1 signaling cascades and to determine their importance in normal renal cell growth and development.

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