Washington, DC (January 5, 2021) —The American Society of Nephrology (ASN) welcomes Susan E. Quaggin, MD, FRCP(C), FASN, as ASN President, effective January 1, 2021. Dr. Quaggin succeeds Anupam Agarwal, MD, FASN.
Kidney diseases constitute a major public health threat, and Dr. Quaggin takes on this leadership role as kidney care is undergoing a dramatic transformation. Experts in this field, and in many other related areas of study and practice, are producing a cascade of advances and new treatments that will change lives of the millions of people living with kidney diseases.
“Nephrologists are unparalleled in their ability to provide incredibly complex care that improves quality of life. It is tremendously exciting to see these talented and committed professionals apply so many new tools to advance care and cure kidney diseases, and I look forward to leading ASN as it advances innovation and care.”
Among the most promising advances, Dr. Quaggin noted new classes of drugs such as SGLT2 inhibitors that potently protect the kidneys in patients with diabetes and/or chronic kidney disease, global attention and action to remove kidney health disparities, and technologic advances for bioengineered kidneys.
During her term as president, the society will focus specifically on eliminating kidney health disparities that will include launching new programs such as the loan mitigation program for trainees underrepresented in medicine, ensuring implementation and access to life- and kidney-saving new therapies such as SGLT2 inhibitors, and harnessing all the transformative advances in the specialty to redefine kidney medicine.
Currently the Charles Horace Mayo Professor of Medicine at Northwestern University, Dr. Quaggin is Chief of Nephrology/Hypertension and Director of the Feinberg Cardiovascular and Renal Research Institute. 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.
Her 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, acute kidney injury, and thrombotic microangiopathies as well as eye diseases such as glaucoma.
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 ASN Kidney Week’s Program Committee (2013), cabinet member for the ASN Foundation for Kidney Research’s Securing the Future Campaign, council liaison for the ASN Diversity and Inclusion Committee and for the ASN Innovation and Discovery Task Force, membership on the ASN Public Policy Board, ASN Education Committee, ASN Young Investigator Award Selection Committee, and the ASN Grants Review Committee. She also chaired the ASN Award Selection Committee and the ASN Diabetic Kidney Disease Collaborative (DKD-C) Task Force.
Dr. Quaggin has also served on the American Society of Clinical Investigation Council, International Society of Nephrology Executive Council, and Nexus Meeting Committee and Publications Committee; and was a standing member and then Chair of the National Institute of Health’s PBKD (Pathobiology of Kidney Disease Study Section) Study Section.
ASN is honored to welcome Dr. Quaggin as the society’s president in 2021.
Since 1966, ASN has been leading the fight to prevent, treat, and cure kidney diseases throughout the world by educating health professionals and scientists, advancing research and innovation, communicating new knowledge, and advocating for the highest quality care for patients. ASN has more than 20,000 members representing 131 countries. For more information, please visit www.asn-online.org or contact the society at 202-640-4660.
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