News

WCN’23 for the Data Enthusiast: Elliot Tannor on Why You Should Join the Workshop on Renal Registries

Once again, there is a global gathering of nephrologists and stakeholders interested in promoting kidney health and kidney disease management - this year in Bangkok, Thailand. The World Congress of Nephrology (WCN) presents a prime opportunity to help advance renal registries worldwide. The SHARing Expertise to support the set-up of Renal Registries (SharE-RR) session takes...

Bringing Genomic Medicine to the Bedside – Ali Gharavi on Genome Sequencing for Better Diagnosis and Treatment of Kidney Diseases

Ali Gharavi will present the WCN'23 Brenner/Dirks Lecture "Genomic Medicine for Kidney Diseases: Lessons Learned From IgAN for Disease Pathophysiology and Management" at 10:30 on March 31.  The ISN asked Dr. Gharavi about his research on genetics, the relevance of his work to nephrologists and his expectations for the future of kidney care.  What question or...

Sharing, Socialising, and Quizzing – Krissia Wallbach-Massai on YNC Activities at WCN’23, and Why it’s an Extra Special Edition

By YNC member Krissia Wallbach-Massai (Brazil)  The ISN Young Nephrologists Committee (YNC) is pleased to announce a fantastic program of activities for WCN’23 in Bangkok!  After a long COVID-19-imposed break, we can finally meet in person again – and we are so excited about it! Despite having worked together on many projects over the past few...

Know Your Thai Etiquette: A Native’s Guide to Fitting in With the Locals at WCN’23!

Sa-Wad-Dee Ka!  Welcome to Krung Thep (Bangkok), Thailand, future WCN'23 delegates!   My name is Sinee. In Thailand, we usually go by our first names since our last ones are often long and more difficult to remember or pronounce. Yes, the pronunciation of Thai last names is difficult even for us! So don’t worry; we will certainly...

New Global Kidney Care Podcast Out Now: Tune in for a Discussion on Complement-mediated Kidney Diseases From a Panel of Experts

Dr. Nick Medjeral-Thomas (UK) hosts this edition of the ISN Global Kidney Care Podcast. He joins fellow nephrologists Dr. Namrata Parikh (Canada) and Dr. Gary Chan (Hong Kong) to discuss the diagnosis and management of complement-mediated kidney diseases. All three are involved in developing the ISN Complement-mediated Kidney Disease Toolkit, launched in 2022. Listen to...

The Younger Generation Takes a Stance: Inaugural Meeting of the WHO Youth Council

Members of the WHO Youth Council at their inaugural meeting at the WHO headquarters in Geneva in January By Marina Wainstein, ISN Young Nephrologists Committee chair and Advocacy Working Group member  From January 27 to 30, the World Health Organization in Geneva hosted the inaugural meeting of the WHO Youth Council. The council was created as a...

KDIGO Controversies Conference on Home Dialysis

Home Dialysis: Conclusions From a Kidney Disease: Improving Global Outcomes (KDIGO) Controversies Conference The level of home dialysis use worldwide is low despite its association with greater patient autonomy and treatment satisfaction compared with in-center modalities. In May 2021, KDIGO held a conference focusing on determining dialysis modality choice and distribution and strategies to expand home...

From Ph.D. to PD-First Policies – Yot Teerawattananon on his WCN’23 Stewart Cameron Lecture

As highlighted in the recent pre-congress newsletter, Yot Teerawattananon talked to the ISN about his role in developing a public health assessment program in Thailand and gave us a sneak preview of his Stewart Cameron Lecture, "Dispelling the Myths of Providing Dialysis in Low- and Middle-income Countries." What led you to set up a health and...

Watch Two Ground-breaking Films From the 1970s on Vascular-Tubular Relationships in the Mammalian Kidney

Two classic films are now available to watch on the ISN Academy: "The Human Kidney: Tubules, Blood Vessels and Vascular-Tubular Relations" and "The Vascular and Tubular Organization of the (Dog) Kidney" These historical, yet clinically still relevant, films were independently produced in 1975 by members of the Department of Physiology at Harvard Medical School.* They illustrate the highly...

“I Feel Responsible for Engaging the Next Generation of Students”- Javier Neyra on Prioritizing Capacity Building in Research

By Javier Neyra, ISN YNC member Over the past year, I've had the opportunity to lead efforts by the Capacity Building Sub-committee of the ISN Young Nephrology Committee (YNC). Young nephrologists worldwide have consistently highlighted the need to build capacity in research, particularly for those practicing in developing countries with limited scholarly resources. Therefore, one of...

Encouraging Emergency Preparedness, UHC and Routine Kidney Assessments – the ISN Makes Its Voice Count at the 152nd Session of the WHO Executive Board

The ISN submitted three statements supporting global kidney health when it participated in the 152nd session of the World Health Organization’s Executive Board from January 30 to February 7, 2023. This annual meeting gathers WHO executive board members at the start of each year to agree on World Health Assembly agenda resolutions for consideration by...

International Experts to Guide Scientific Paper Writing in Turkey at ISN Scientific Writing Course

A three-day ISN Scientific Writing Course (SWC) will be held in Istanbul, Turkey, from February 16 to 18. Find out more about the ISN SWC here. Cohosted by the Balkan Cities Association of Nephrology, Dialysis, Transplantation and Artificial Organs (BANTAO) and the Turkish Society of Nephrology, this will be the first ISN Scientific Writing Course to...

Improve the Detection and Management of NCDs in Your Region: Submit Your Proposal by April 1 for an ISN Clinical Research Grant

Read the application guidelines and eligibility criteria here or apply directly here if you are an ISN member.  The ISN Clinical Research Program supports research and education initiatives that help detect and manage non-communicable chronic diseases such as CKD, AKI, hypertension, diabetes, and cardiovascular disease in low-income, lower-middle-income, and upper-middle-income countries. The deadline to apply is May 1, but proposals...

Renal Pathologist ISN Members – Apply for a Bursary by February 28 to Attend Key Renal Pathology Events in 2023

The ISN invites renal pathologists from lower, lower-middle- and upper-middle-income countries to receive bursaries to attend significant renal pathology events this year. Bursaries are available for onsite and online attendance. Apply here by February 28, 2023. ISN bursaries are available to attend: The European Renal Pathology Course, Amsterdam, The Netherlands, June 6-9, 2023. This includes a two-week sabbatical...

Latest ISN Journal Editorial Selections

Kidney International: Glomerular Diseases in Pregnancy: Pragmatic Recommendations for Clinical Management Glomerular diseases are a frequent cause of chronic kidney disease in young women and generate many challenges in pregnancy. An international working group reviews current literature and expert opinions on glomerular diseases in pregnancy to provide practical information for nephrologists. The authors highlight areas of clinical...

Choose Your Leaders – Less Than 2 Weeks to Vote in the 2023 ISN Leadership Elections

As an ISN voting member, you have the right to vote for the next ISN president-elect and your ISN region’s regional board deputy chair/council member. Cast your vote here by noon CET on February 17, 2023. To vote: Login to your MYISN account (located on the top blue bar) at theisn.org (preferred browser: Google Chrome) Click on the...

South Asia Regional Board Webinar: Case-based discussion and update on the management of IgA Nephropathy

IgA nephropathy is one of the most common glomerular diseases, worldwide. The diagnostic histologic hallmark is dominant or codominant IgA staining on kidney biopsy; however, patients may present with various clinical syndromes ranging from asymptomatic abnormalities noted on urinalysis, nephritic syndrome, nephrotic-nephritic syndrome to rapidly progressive glomerulonephritis with crescentic transformation. There is substantial heterogeneity in the...

ISN Constituency Statement – Reorienting health systems to primary health care as a resilient foundation for universal health coverage – at the WHO 152nd EB

152nd WHO Executive Board: Honorable Chair, Distinguished Delegates, We note with disappointment the report by the Director-General recognizing that the world is not on track to achieve the SDG 3 targets but welcome the valuable guidance to Member States through the four priority areas of action. Circulatory diseases, including heart disease, stroke, diabetes, and kidney disease, are...

ISN Constituency Statement – Strengthening WHO preparedness for and response to health emergencies – at the WHO 152nd EB

152nd WHO Executive Board: Honourable Chair, Distinguished Delegates, We applaud the Director-General for his report and welcome the ten proposals, rooted in the key principles of equity, inclusivity, and coherence, to build a safer world together. People living with circulatory conditions have been disproportionately impacted by the COVID-19 pandemic. The health impact of NCDs, including diabetes, dyslipidaemia,...

ISN Statement – Draft updated menu of policy options and cost-effective interventions for the prevention and control of noncommunicable diseases – at the WHO 152nd EB

152nd WHO Executive Board: ISN regrets that the updated Appendix 3 presented today does not include strengthening the prevention of kidney disease. Kidney dysfunction is the 8th leading global risk factor for death globally, with an estimated 3.12 million deaths per year attributed to kidney dysfunction. Chronic kidney disease (CKD) will be 5th leading cause of...