Nephrology | Center for Immunity, Inflammation and Regenerative Medicine

Mark D. Okusa, MD
Division Chief

Chief: Mark D. Okusa, MD

The Division of Nephrology is nationally recognized for excellence in clinical care by U.S. News & World Report’s list of top programs. The division was ranked as “high performing” for three years in a row (2012, 2013, 2014) in the “Best Hospitals” guide published by U.S. News & World Report. The combined enterprises of the Division of Nephrology and the CIIR include 28 full-time faculty members (20 clinical, 8 research), nine clinical fellows, a number of postdoctoral fellows and graduate students, and over 870 dialysis patients. Nephrology faculty serve on national and international committees, advisory groups and editorial boards, and the division has emerged as a nationally recognized program in all facets of academic nephrology, including basic and clinical research as well as education.

FY 2014 was highlighted by strong clinical and academic performance by division faculty members. In partnership with the UVA Medical Center, School of Medicine, and Department of Medicine, the division continues to maintain a strong financial base that undergirds the growth of its missions in patient care, research, education, and administration. Patient care extends well beyond the immediate Charlottesville area, with clinical practices providing care to most of Virginia and many surrounding states.

The reputation of division faculty continues to grow, as evidenced by expanding clinical practices and volume of outside referrals, as well as by appointments to national committees and professional societies (American Society of Nephrology and the Renal Physicians Association, among others), editorial boards, and NIH study sections. The division’s clinical strengths include apheresis and other extracorporeal therapies not widely available in the region, and it provides access to experimental drugs through patient participation in clinical studies. The division’s research program continues to gain in national and international reputation, supported by an ongoing NIH T32 training grant. The Center for Immunity, Inflammation and Regenerative Medicine (CIIR) remains the foundation and focus of the division’s research activities, and it is now one of the most prolific research enterprises in the country in this field. The division’s administrative staff provide critical support for its research activities and financial.