American Society of Nephrology New Initiative

Dr. Susan E. Quaggin, MD, FASN, President of the American Society of Nephrology (ASN) discusses the recently launched “We’re United 4 Kidney Health,” a new initiative that shines a light on what needs to be addressed in order to create a world without kidney diseases. She shares four key priorities ASN has identified for the kidney community. 

Susan E. Quaggin, MD, FASN, is a Canadian and a graduate of the University of Toronto where she completed her residency and served as chief medical resident for the University’s St. Michael’s Hospital. She completed her nephrology fellowship at the University of Toronto and Yale University, where she also undertook research and post-doctoral training. Dr. Quaggin also trained in the developmental biology program at the University of Toronto’s Samuel Lunenfeld Research Institute.Currently the Charles Horace Mayo Professor of Medicine, Dr. Quaggin is Chief of Nephrology/Hypertension and Director of the Feinberg Cardiovascular and Renal Research Institute at Northwestern University.Dr. Quaggin’s research interests include a focus on vascular signaling pathways. Her laboratory uses genome editing techniques and proteomic approaches to develop new treatments for kidney and vascular diseases. Translation of her group’s findings have revealed pathogenic mechanisms and new therapeutic targets for a number of kidney diseases, including diabetic nephropathy, nephrotic syndromes, AKI and thrombotic microangiopathies as well as eye diseases such as glaucoma.“My tenure on ASN Council comes at a promising time: one of many challenges but also great opportunities for advancing nephrology,” she says. “I am a passionate advocate for patients and the subspecialty, working tirelessly to enhance and broaden the scope of nephrology practice, campaign for enhanced public and political awareness of nephrology, recommend innovations in training, and advance translation of new discoveries to the clinic. The perspective I have on these issues is shaped by my life as a clinician and physician-scientist.”Dr. Quaggin has served in many roles at the American Society of Nephrology including: Associate and Deputy Editor for the Journal of the American Society of Nephrology, Chair of Kidney Week’s Program Committee (2013), cabinet member for the ASN Foundation for Kidney Research’s Securing the Future Campaign, council liaison for the Diversity and Inclusion Committee and for the Innovation and Discovery Task Force, membership on the Public Policy Board, Education Committee, and Young Investigator Award Selection Committee, the Grants Review Committee, Chair of the Awards Committee and Chair of the Diabetic Kidney Disease Collaborative (DKD-C) Task Force.She has also served on the American Society of Clinical Investigation Council, ISN Executive Council, Nexus Meeting Committee and Publications Committee; and was a standing member and then Chair of the National Institute of Health’s PBKD Study Section. She currently sits on Scientific Advisory Boards for Astra Zeneca, Roche, Novartis, and is a member of the Scientific Board of Governor’s of the Lowy Medical Research Institute (LMRI), and is Co-founder and CSO of Mannin Research.Dr. Quaggin’s awards and honors include the International Society of Nephrology (ISN) Alfred Newton Richards Award for Basic Science, (2013); a Kidney Foundation of Canada Medal for Research Excellence, (2009); American Heart Association, Hypertension Council Donald Seldin Lecture and Award, (2012); Princesses’ Lectureship at the Victor Chang Cardiovascular Research Institute, (2013); a Distinguished Finnish Professorship (2012-2017) and Honorary Doctorate from the University of Southern Denmark (2020). She was elected to the American Society for Clinical Investigation in 2006, the Association of American Physicians in 2013 and to the National Academy of Medicine in 2019.