March 13, 2026, New York, New York – The National Kidney Foundation (NKF) has awarded the Donald W. Seldin Award to Brad H. Rovin, MD, FACP, FASN, Professor of Medicine and Pathology at Ohio State University Wexner Medical Center and the Lee A. Hebert Professor of Nephrology. The distinguished honor will be presented at the NKF 2026 Spring Clinical Meetings in New Orleans, May 6 - 10.
Each year NKF considers the work of hundreds of specialists in the field of nephrology and selects among them those who most exemplify the relentless efforts of the NKF to enhance the lives of patients through action, education and accelerating change. The Donald W. Seldin Award was established to recognize excellence in clinical nephrology and to celebrate the enduring legacy of Dr. Donald W. Seldin, one of the field’s most influential teachers and researchers.
Dr. Rovin received his Bachelor of Science in Chemical Engineering from Northwestern University in Evanston, Illinois and his Doctor of Medicine from the University of Illinois Medical School in Chicago, Illinois. He completed a residency in Internal Medicine at Barnes Hospital in St. Louis Missouri, and a Fellowship in Nephrology at Washington University School of Medicine, St. Louis. He joined the Ohio State University College of Medicine Faculty in 1990, became Director of the Division of Nephrology in 2004, and served as Vice Chairman of Medicine for Research from 2009-2019. In 2019, he became the Medical Director of the Ohio State University Center for Clinical Research Management.
“I have dedicated my professional life to understanding the interaction of the immune system and the kidney to help individuals who are struggling with glomerular diseases”, said Dr Rovin. “This award means I have at least scratched the surface of improving the lives of people with kidney disease. The award also serves as an inspiration to me to continue working hard to achieve these goals, because while progress has been made, we still have lots of work to do”.
Dr. Rovin’s research has transformed the understanding of lupus nephritis and advanced new therapeutic approaches for glomerular diseases.
Dr. Rovin’s laboratory studies the immunopathogenesis of glomerular and autoimmune diseases and focuses on biomarker development for non-invasive assessment of kidney pathology. He is heavily involved in clinical trial development and design for investigator-initiated and industry-sponsored trials. He is a founding member of NephroNet, a grass-roots nephrology clinical trial organization, and the Lupus Nephritis Clinical Trials Network. He is, and has been, the Principal Investigator on several trials of novel therapeutics for glomerular diseases.
“We are proud to honor Dr. Rovin for his exceptional commitment to advancing kidney health and improving the lives of patients with CKD, particularly individuals with rare and difficult to manage conditions” said Dr. Kirk Campbell, President of the National Kidney Foundation. His work exemplifies the compassion, innovation, and dedication that drive meaningful change in our field”.
Dr. Rovin has held several committee and leadership roles in the American Society of Nephrology, including the annual meeting program committee, running the Glomerular Diseases Pre-Course and Co-Editing NephSAP-Glomerular Diseases, a continuing education program of the Society. He serves as deputy Editor of Kidney International, the flagship journal of the International Society of Nephrology, and is co-chair for glomerular disease guideline development for the Kidney Disease Improving Global Outcomes effort. Most recently, he received the Evelyn Hess Award from the Lupus Foundation of America for research contributions to improve the understanding of lupus nephritis.
“The National Kidney Foundation has been the voice of the patients”, said Dr Rovin. “One of the most meaningful interactions I have had was participating in an NKF symposium where the patients were given the floor, and physicians and the FDA were there to listen. The topic was lupus nephritis, and the stories were so important that I made notes about what these individuals need and I bring these up frequently in my discussion with FDA, pharma, and NIH”.
NKF Spring Clinical Meetings
For more than 30 years, nephrology healthcare professionals from across the country have come to the NKF Spring Clinical Meetings to learn about the newest developments related to all aspects of nephrology practice; network with colleagues; and present their research findings. The NKF Spring Clinical Meetings are designed for meaningful change in the multidisciplinary and interprofessional healthcare teams’ skills, performance, and patient health outcomes. It is the only conference of its kind that focuses on translating science into practice for the entire healthcare team. This year’s Spring Clinical Meetings will be held in New Orleans, LA, May 6 – 10, 2026.
Kidney Disease
In the United States, more than 35 million adults are estimated to have kidney disease, also known as chronic kidney disease (CKD)—and approximately 90 percent don’t know they have it. About 1 in 3 adults in the U.S. are at risk for kidney disease. Risk factors for kidney disease include: diabetes, high blood pressure, heart disease, obesity, and family history. People of Black or African American, Hispanic or Latino, American Indian or Alaska Native, Asian American, or Native Hawaiian or Other Pacific Islander descent are at increased risk for developing the disease. Black or African American people are about four times as likely as White people to have kidney failure. Hispanics experience kidney failure at about double the rate of White people.
NKF Professional Membership
Healthcare professionals can join NKF to receive access to tools and resources for both patients and professionals, discounts on professional education, and access to a network of thousands of individuals who treat patients with kidney disease.
Visit https://www.kidney.org/membership to learn more and join our community today. You belong here.
Celebrating 75 Years of Excellence
For 75 years, The National Kidney Foundation has been a leader in advancing kidney health, working to ensure that every person has access to high-quality, patient-centered care—from prevention and diagnosis to transplantation.
As we celebrate this milestone, NKF has launched its 75th Anniversary campaign - a bold initiative aimed at transforming kidney health and patient care by 2030. Our goal is to impact 75 million lives by raising funds to help fulfill the NKF mission, drive innovation, empower patients, and advocate for systemic change in kidney health. To make a difference in the fight against kidney disease, visit DONATE TODAY!
About the National Kidney Foundation
The National Kidney Foundation is revolutionizing the fight to save lives by eliminating preventable kidney disease, accelerating innovation for the dignity of the patient experience, and dismantling structural inequities in kidney care, dialysis, and transplantation. For more information about kidney disease, please visit www.kidney.org/
Media Contact:
Jade Rivera-McFarlin
413-537-1155
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