Cohort studies have played a pivotal role in advancing our understanding of chronic kidney disease (CKD), providing invaluable insights into disease progression, risk factors, and patient outcomes. In this episode of the Global Kidney Care Podcast, host Maarten Taal is joined by Roberto Pecoits-Filho and Natalia Alencar de Pinho to discuss the principles behind designing and conducting high-quality CKD cohort studies, drawing on the collective experience of the International Network of CKD Cohort Studies (iNET-CKD).

The conversation explores what makes cohort studies uniquely valuable in nephrology, the practical challenges of establishing and maintaining long-term cohorts, and the lessons learned from decades of collaborative research. The speakers also reflect on the importance of international partnerships, discussing how networks such as iNET-CKD enable researchers to address questions that no single cohort could answer alone while strengthening kidney research across diverse healthcare settings.

Looking ahead, the discussion considers how CKD cohort studies are evolving to meet emerging research priorities and what the next decade may hold for observational kidney research. Listeners will gain insights into why sustained collaboration, robust study design, and global data sharing remain essential for improving outcomes for people living with CKD.

Host

Maarten Taal

Former Chair of the ISN International Network of CKD Cohort Studies (iNET-CKD) and current Deputy Chair of the ISN Research Working Group. Professor of Medicine at the University of Nottingham, UK, Professor Taal is a leading nephrologist whose research focuses on the epidemiology and progression of chronic kidney disease, with a particular interest in CKD cohort studies, international research collaboration, and improving outcomes for people living with kidney disease.

Guests

Roberto Pecoits-Filho

Chair of the ISN International Network of CKD Cohort Studies (iNET-CKD). Originally from Brazil and currently based in the United States, Dr. Pecoits-Filho is a leading nephrologist and researcher who has been instrumental in building global collaborations that advance research and knowledge in chronic kidney disease.

Natalia Alencar de Pinho

Deputy Chair of the ISN International Network of CKD Cohort Studies (iNET-CKD) and Clinical Epidemiologist at Paris-Saclay University and Inserm, France. She is also the Principal Investigator of the CKD-REIN cohort study, with research focusing on CKD epidemiology, cohort studies, and the evaluation of clinical practices.

To learn more about the ISN International Network of CKD Cohort Studies (iNET-CKD), visit the iNET-CKD page here.

To read the perspective paper on The Design and Conduct of Cohort Studies of Peoples With CKD – International Perspectives From iNET-CKD, published in Kidney International Reports.

Building on the concepts introduced in the previous episode Rethinking the Design and Conduct of Kidney Trials, this episode explores how innovative ideas in nephrology research can be translated into practical trial strategies. Experts discuss novel approaches to trial design, evolving endpoint selection, and the importance of engaging patients, clinicians, regulators, and other stakeholders throughout the research process. Drawing on insights from the ISN Consensus Meeting on Changing Paradigms of Studies in CKD (Vancouver, Nov 22-23, 2024), the discussion highlights how more pragmatic and implementation-focused trials can help generate evidence that is meaningful for clinical practice and patient care worldwide. 

Speakers 

Adeera Levin 
Professor of Medicine, University of British Columbia, Canada, and Past-President of the International Society of Nephrology (ISN). Dr. Levin is a global leader in kidney health research, with extensive experience in chronic kidney disease (CKD) management, clinical trials, and international health system strengthening. 

David Wheeler 
Professor of Kidney Medicine at University College London, UK and Honorary Consultant Nephrologist at the Royal Free Hospital. His research focuses on the management of chronic kidney disease and the evaluation of therapies through large-scale clinical trials. He was co-principal investigator of the landmark DAPA-CKD trial and served as Co-Chair of KDIGO from 2012–2019.  

Kevin Weinfurt 
Professor and Vice Chair of Faculty, Department of Population Health Sciences, Duke University School of Medicine, USA. Dr. Weinfurt is a behavioural scientist specializing in patient-reported outcomes (PROMs), ethical aspects of research participation, and improving the relevance of clinical trials to patients lived experiences. 

Hiddo J. Lambers Heerspink 
Professor of Clinical Trials and Personalized Medicine, University Medical Center Groningen, The Netherlands. Dr. Heerspink’s work bridges pharmacology, nephrology, and precision medicine, focusing on optimizing kidney and cardiovascular outcomes through innovative clinical trial design and biomarker discovery. 

To read more, explore the related paper Changing Paradigms of Studies in Kidney Diseases published in Kidney International. 

This session will discuss the rising demand for kidney care, key causes of workforce gaps, and the impact on patient outcomes. It would also highlight practical solutions to strengthen the nephrology nursing workforce.

Moderator: Ana Figueiredo

Speakers:

Rachael Walker

Marques Shek Nam Ng

Ginger Chu

Laura Lunardi 

This ISN i3C podcast brings together leading ISN experts to unpack a new paper tackling one of nephrology’s biggest mysteries: chronic kidney disease of unknown origin (CKDu). The discussion explores why identifying the causes of CKDu has been so challenging—highlighting gaps in terminology, study design, and data collection—while questioning whether current research approaches are asking the right questions. Through expert insights and debate, the podcast emphasizes the need for standardized methods, stronger global collaboration, and a shift toward translating research into prevention, especially in low- and middle-income countries. The podcast closes by looking ahead to priority research areas and how the global community can get involved in advancing solutions. Listeners will come away with a deeper, more nuanced understanding of CKDu.

Participants: 

• Ben Caplin (UK), ISN i3C Working Group Chair
• Magdalena Madero (Mexico), ISN i3C Working Group Deputy Chair
• Eranga Wijewickrama (Sri Lanka)
• Shuchi Anand (United States)

Augusto Cesar Soares dos Santos Junior hosts the latest episode of the Global Kideny Care podcast, and this special episode is part of the offerings for NephMadness 2026. Augusto is joined by Ana Catalina Alvarez Elias: Renal Research Institute, Lili Chan: Mount Sinai, Neil Reza Evans: UC Davis Health, and Kuang-Yu Jen: UC Davis Health, where they discuss the emerging role of Artificial Intelligence in nephrology. AI stands out as a truly transformative force and is reshaping how diseases are diagnosed, how nephrologists interpret complex data, and understand patients. 

World Kidney Day (WKD) is observed annually on the second Thursday of March and in 2026 falls on March 12, under the theme “Kidney Health for All: Caring for People, Protecting the Planet”. Read more about WKD 2026 here.

In this episode, WKD Joint Steering Committee member Dr. Manjusha Yadla is joined by fellow committee members Dr. Natarajan Gopalakrishnan and Bill Wang to examine the growing connection between kidney health, climate change, and planetary well-being. The discussion explores climate change as an emerging risk factor for kidney disease and highlights the importance of prevention through education, awareness, and sustainable healthcare practices, underscoring the shared responsibility of clinicians, patients, and policymakers to protect kidney health, promote environmentally responsible care, and translate public-health frameworks into meaningful, long-term global action.

The International Society of Nephrology Education Working Group has undertaken the development of a comprehensive online program to advance understanding and education in this rapidly evolving field. The new curriculum ‘Genetics in Kidney Disease’  led by Drs. Becky Ma and Anuja Java, features a series of 11 recorded lectures covering key topics in nephrogenetics, together with roundtable-style panel discussions featuring leading experts on each topic for open conversations and deeper insights. 

This first episode of season six of the Global Kidney Care Podcast is a sneak peek at the first roundtable discussion on Genetics for the Nephrologist (monogenic, polygenic; testing methodology) with Drs. Amali Mallawaarachchi, Ali Gharavi, and Christie Thomas. To continue your education in Genetics in Kidney Disease, view the rest of the first module and the full curriculum here. 

Jay L. Koyner, MD, is a Professor of Medicine in the Section of Nephrology at the University of Chicago where he also serves as the Medical Director of the Inpatient Dialysis Unit, Director of ICU Nephrology and the Associate Program Director of the Nephrology-Critical Care Fellowship. He hosted by Dr. Sola Aoun Bahous, Dean and Professor of the Department of Internal Medicine, Division of Nephrology at the Lebanese American University. Sola is also the Chair-Elect of the ISN Education Working Group. In this episode, Jay and Sola discuss the Acute Kidney Injury and the impact of Artificial Intelligence on detection. They will discuss Jay’s research in multi-modal deep learning models and his building of practical AKI Alerts, and how these innovations could change kidney care worldwide.  

Clinical trial design in nephrology is evolving. In this episode, leading experts explore why a paradigm shift is needed from traditional biomarkers to patient-centered outcomes and practical strategies for advancing trial implementation. This conversation draws on insights from the ISN Consensus Meeting on Changing Paradigms of Studies in CKD (Vancouver, Nov 22-23, 2024) where clinicians, trialists, patient partners, regulators and industry scientists came together to rethink trial endpoints, outcomes and designs. Together, they discuss how reimagining kidney trials can generate more relevant, equitable, and actionable evidence for better kidney care worldwide. 

Participants

Adeera Levin 
Professor of Medicine, University of British Columbia, Canada, and Past-President of the International Society of Nephrology (ISN). Dr. Levin is a global leader in kidney health research, with extensive experience in chronic kidney disease (CKD) management, clinical trials, and international health system strengthening. 

Jennifer Lees 
Senior Clinical Lecturer and Honorary Consultant Nephrologist at the University of Glasgow, UK. Dr. Lees’ research focuses on improving patient outcomes in kidney disease through better trial design, biomarker evaluation, and translational approaches linking research to clinical care. 

Kevin Weinfurt 
Professor and Vice Chair of Faculty, Department of Population Health Sciences, Duke University School of Medicine, USA. Dr. Weinfurt is a behavioural scientist specializing in patient-reported outcomes (PROMs), ethical aspects of research participation, and improving the relevance of clinical trials to patients lived experiences. 

Hiddo J. Lambers Heerspink 
Professor of Clinical Trials and Personalized Medicine, University Medical Center Groningen, The Netherlands. Dr. Heerspink’s work bridges pharmacology, nephrology, and precision medicine, focusing on optimizing kidney and cardiovascular outcomes through innovative clinical trial design and biomarker discovery. 

To read more, explore the related paper Changing Paradigms of Studies in Kidney Diseases published in Kidney International.

In the latest Episode of the Global Kidney Care podcast Augusto Cesar Soares dos Santos Junior interviews Rolando Claure-Del Granado, a Clinical Research Investigator at the Biomedical Research Institute (IIBISMED) at Facultad de Medicina, Universidad Mayor de San Simon (Cochabamba, Bolivia) and a visiting professor of the UNESP - São Paulo State University (Brazil).

This podcast is part of an ongoing series of resources for the ISN Academy dedicated to the topic of AI and Nephrology. Augusto and Rolando discuss how AI is changing the outlook for patients with AKI and how it can be utilized by nephrologists to treat those with AKI.