Philadelphia Doctor to Receive the National Kidney Foundation’s J. Michael Lazarus Award

 

 

New York, NY- January 13, 2020 – Each year, the National Kidney Foundation (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 NKF to enhance the lives of patients through action, education, and accelerating change.

 

Their work is vital to the 37 million people who are affected by kidney disease and the 1 in 3 American adults who are at risk.

 

Among the prestigious awards presented each year is the J. Michael Lazarus Award, which was established to honor Dr. J. Michael Lazarus for his major contributions to the clinical science and care of dialysis patients, and to recognize individuals whose research has yielded novel insights related to renal replacement therapy.

 

This year, Laura Dember, MD, of the University of Pennsylvania Perelman School of Medicine, has been selected as the recipient of this honor and will receive the award at the NKF 2020 Spring Clinical Meetings in New Orleans, March 25-29.

 

"I am deeply honored to receive an award that celebrates the tremendous contributions made by Dr. Lazarus to dialysis science, patient care, and education," Dr. Dember said. "As one of the many nephrologists who benefited from being a 'Lazarus trainee,' this award is particularly meaningful."

 

Dr. Dember is a faculty member in the Renal-Electrolyte and Hypertension Division, a Senior Scholar in the Center for Clinical Epidemiology and Biostatistics, and the director of the Certificate Program in Clinical Research. Dr. Dember conducts patient-oriented research in chronic kidney disease with a focus on interventions to improve clinical outcomes for patients treated with maintenance hemodialysis.

 

"Dr. Dember has played an important role in introducing to the nephrology community large pragmatic trials embedded in clinical care delivery and that effort has advanced kidney care for all," said Holly Kramer, MD, President of the National Kidney Foundation. "We are eternally grateful for her dedication and continued work."

 

Dr. Dember has held leadership roles in several important NIH-funded dialysis clinical trials and observational studies including the Dialysis Access Consortium trials, the Hemodialysis Fistula Maturation study, the TiME trial, the Hemodialysis Novel Therapies trials, and the HOPE Consortium trial. She chaired the American Society of Nephrology Dialysis Advisory Group, and previously served as a co-editor, and now is a deputy editor, for the American Journal of Kidney Diseases. Dr. Dember received her medical degree from the Yale School of Medicine, and she completed her residency training at the University of Pennsylvania, and her fellowship training at the University of Pennsylvania and Brigham and Women's Hospital.

 

For the past 28 years, nephrology healthcare professionals from across the country have come to NKF's 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 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 March 25-29 in New Orleans.

 

Healthcare professionals can join NKF to receive access to tools and resources both patients and professionals, discounts on professional education, and access to a network of thousands of individuals who treat patients with kidney disease. 

 

In the United States 37 million adults are estimated to have chronic kidney disease—and most aren't aware of it.  1 in 3 American adults are at risk for chronic kidney disease. Risk factors for kidney disease include diabetes, high blood pressure, heart disease, obesity and family history.  People of African American, Hispanic, Native American, Asian or Pacific Islander descent are at increased risk for developing the disease.  African Americans are 3 times more likely than Whites, and Hispanics are nearly 1.5 times more likely than non-Hispanics to develop end stage renal disease (kidney failure).

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