Nephrology Pioneer Kline Bolton Retires

Kline Bolton, MD, FASN, and his wife, Nancy, at a celebration honoring Dr. Bolton at The Colonnade Club on June 18, 2015.

Division of Nephrology
FACULTY MILESTONES: Nephrology Division Pioneer Kline Bolton Retires After Stellar UVA Career

After residency at Harvard and fellowships at Harvard (medicine) and the University of Chicago (nephrology), W. Kline Bolton, MD, FASN, emeritus professor of medicine, joined the faculty at the University of Virginia in 1973 as an assistant professor. He achieved the rank of professor in 1985 and became the division chief in 1988. Dr. Bolton had an illustrious career with numerous honors, including memberships in the American Society of Clinical Investigation and American Clinical and Climatological Association. He was the recipient of the National Kidney Foundation of Virginia Distinguished Service Award and the Renal Physicians Association Distinguished Nephrology Service Award and was selected by U.S. News & World Report as a Top Doctor for five consecutive years starting in 2011, named as a Best Doctor in America each year between 1992 and 2015, and as a Castle Connolly Top Doctor each year from 2001 through 2015. Dr. Bolton received funding from the National Institutes of Health (NIH) since 1978 and is best known for his seminal work in the area of Goodpasture syndrome and in dialysis practice guidelines. His impeccable reputation extends well beyond the institution and clearly brings much recognition to the division and the University.

At UVA, Dr. Bolton contributed to all aspects of academic medicine, including teaching, research, clinical care and administration. He was a gifted teacher and a productive scientist. When he took on the role of division chief in 1988, he started with four faculty members, a few hemodialysis patients, one NIH grant and no nephrology fellows. After two highly successful decades as division chief, Kline stepped down from this role in 2008 and handed over a transformed, multidimensional division with a robust clinical practice, expanding clinical and basic research, and a strong education platform. He then focused his efforts on clinical care, research, education and mentorship. A signature program, and one that is important to the institution, is the UVA Health System dialysis program, in which Dr. Bolton played a critical role. A model of collaboration within UVA Health System, it is one of the largest academic dialysis programs in the country — and one that has had a huge impact on the care of patients with kidney disease in the region.