Nephrology Services

The UAB Nephrology program features a multi-disciplinary team that provides state-of-the-art clinical care, research, teaching, and disease management for patients with diverse types of kidney disease. As one of the largest kidney transplantation centers in the nation, we provide complete renal evaluation services in a compact, efficient time frame. We also are a national leader in providing transplantation to patients who do not have a living donor or whose donor’s tissue does not match the potential recipient.

Since performing our first kidney transplant – the first transplant of any kind in Alabama – in 1968, the UAB Renal Transplant Program has grown into one of the largest kidney transplant centers in the nation, performing almost 300 procedures each year. Since 1987, UAB has performed more kidney transplants than any other program in the United States. The size and experience UAB offers create a unique resource for the people of Alabama and the Southeast.

Our reputation for excellence is based on an integrated program with highly skilled transplant surgeons and nephrologists, dedication to patient care and education, and exceptionally good results. Moreover, the UAB Renal Transplant program remains on the forefront of advances in kidney transplantation with an active clinical and basic science transplant research program.

Patients may be seen in either the UAB General Nephrology Clinic or our Chronic Kidney Disease Clinic. At the Chronic Kidney Disease Clinic you will receive more frequent monitoring and more extensive education on your kidney disease. UAB nephrologists see patients on our main campus at The Kirklin Clinic of UAB Hospital, and in our neighborhood clinic locations in Hoover and Leeds.

The Division treats a wide range of conditions, including:

• Polycystic Kidney Disease
• Glomerular Disease
• End-stage renal (kidney) disease
• Acute or chronic Kidney Diseases
• Nephrotic syndrome
• Hypo- or hyperkalemia
• Hyponatremia (electrolyte imbalance)
• Acid-base disturbances
• Severe hypertension
• Kidney stones
• Genetic Kidney Disease
• Fabry Disease

UAB Nephrology is a recognized leader in kidney transplantation, as our nationally ranked kidney disease program is consistently listed among the best in the country by U.S. News & World Report. UAB’s Division of Nephrology was designated a George M. O’Brien Kidney Research Center by the National Institutes of Health (NIH), making us one of just eight such federally funded centers in the country dedicated to the study of acute kidney injury and kidney failure. UAB’s strong research programs put us at the forefront in the development of new methods to treat, prevent and cure diabetes and its complications, and our participation in clinical trials increases the chances of providing our patients with cutting-edge therapies not yet available at other medical centers.

The UAB Hepato/Renal Fibrocystic Diseases Core Center, sponsored by the National Institute of Diabetes and Digestive and Kidney Diseases, calls UAB home. The North American Autosomal Recessive Polycycstic Kidney Disease Clinical Database, a compilation of case histories from across the continent, is also housed at UAB and serves as an important resource for genetic research related to kidney disease. 

Care Providers

David Askenazi, MD Pediatric Nephrology, Pediatrics Anupam Agarwal, MD Nephrology Michael Allon, MD Nephrology Emmy Bell, MD Nephrology Sahar Fathallah-Shaykh, MD Pediatric Nephrology, Pediatrics Dan Feig, MD, PhD Pediatric Nephrology, Pediatrics Orlando Gutierrez, MD Nephrology Gaurav Jain, MD Nephrology Clifton Kew, II, MD Nephrology, Transplant Nephrology Vineeta Kumar, MD Nephrology, Transplant Nephrology Timmy Lee, MD Nephrology Caroline Marshall, MD Nephrology Shikha Mehta, MD Nephrology, Transplant Nephrology Michal Mrug, MD Nephrology Dana Rizk, MD Nephrology Paul Sanders, MD Nephrology Denyse Thornley-Brown, MD Nephrology Ashita Tolwani, MD Nephrology Eric Wallace, MD Nephrology Katie Bean, MD Nephrology Arun Rajasekaran, MD Nephrology Norman Seay, MD Nephrology Abolfazl Zarjou, MD, PhD Nephrology

Resources

• UAB Division of Nephrology
• National Institutes of Health

Related Specialties

• Chronic Kidney Disease
• Dialysis
• Fabry Disease
• Kidney Cancer
• Kidney Stones
• Kidney Transplant
• Kidney Tumor Ablation
• Renal Failure