Our team focuses on a wide range of research activities to expand the understanding of kidney disorders in children, and to develop new strategies for the prevention and management of kidney disease and injury. Our division participates in national and international collaborative quality initiatives, including SCOPE (Standardizing Care to Improve Outcomes in Pediatric End Stage Kidney Disease) and NAKI (Nephrotoxic-Associated Acute Kidney Injury) QI Initiative to improve patient safety. Our current research studies include:
1. Pediatric CKD Registry and Biorepository
The Pediatric Chronic Kidney Disease (CKD) Registry and Biorepository was established at Weill Cornell Medicine to enable longitudinal clinical and translational research.The registry has supported numerous peer-reviewed publications and serves as the foundation for research projects focused on anemia, iron metabolism, inflammation, and progression of kidney disease in children.
2. Clinical and Translational Research
Our clinical research program integrates single-center registry studies with multicenter collaborations to improve the understanding and treatment of pediatric CKD.
- Neonatal Kidney Disease and Anemia We are investigating the transition from neonatal acute kidney injury (AKI) to CKD, with emphasis on anemia of CKD development during the first year of life.
- Iron Therapy in Pediatric CKD We are studying the effects of iron therapy in children with CKD, and our work evaluates iron responsiveness, inflammation, and treatment patterns to inform safer and more effective anemia management.
- Inflammation and CKD Progression Using our CKD registry, we have quantified inflammatory markers in children with CKD to better understand the interaction between inflammation, iron metabolism, and kidney disease progression.
- Growth Hormone and Patient-Reported Outcomes In collaboration with multicenter partners, we are evaluating growth hormone therapy and its impact on quality of life, treatment satisfaction, and clinical outcomes in children with CKD.
- Puberty and CKD We are investigating the role of sex hormones and onset of puberty with changes in kidney function and CKD progression.
3. Pathophysiology of Iron Metabolism in CKD (Basic Science Research)
Dr. Oleh Akchurin’s laboratory investigates the mechanisms by which iron metabolism influences kidney injury and erythropoiesis in CKD. Our work focuses on both the hematologic effects of iron on erythropoiesis and the direct effects of iron on kidney tissue biology. This integrated approach aims to redefine iron therapy in CKD—moving beyond anemia correction toward a deeper understanding of iron as a modulator of kidney disease progression.