Advancing nephrology research and treatment
Methods used by Dr. Kumar's lab to analyze bone quality include computed microtomography of femoral trabecular bone (panels A and B) and micrographs of bone labeled with the fluorescent tetracycline to measure bone formation (panels C and D).
Overview
Research in the Renal Disease Laboratory, led by principal investigator Rajiv Kumar, M.D., includes projects about the regulation of serum and whole body phosphate by novel phosphate-regulating hormones; the mechanism of action 1α,25-dihydroxyvitamin D in muscle, bone and the central nervous system; arteriovenous fistulas; urinary stone disease; clinical bone mineral physiology in health and disease, and more.
Dr. Kumar's work is relevant to the pathogenesis and treatment of bone disease seen in patients with renal failure, osteoporosis and hypophosphatemia.
About Dr. Kumar
In addition to his role as principal investigator of the Renal Disease Laboratory within the Division of Nephrology and Hypertension at Mayo Clinic, Dr. Kumar is a nephrologist at Mayo Clinic in Rochester, Minnesota, treating acute kidney failure, kidney stones and other kidney conditions. Dr. Kumar is also a professor of medicine and a professor of biochemistry and molecular biology at the Mayo Clinic College of Medicine and Science.
Dr. Kumar has a 40-year record of continuous National Institutes of Health-supported investigation in the areas of bone and mineral metabolism, vitamin D biochemistry, protein expression, protein biochemistry and function, and the clinical investigation of disorders of bone and mineral research and vascular biology.
His contributions to research have been recognized by the receipt of awards from the American Society for Bone and Mineral Research (Fuller Albright Award, Avioli Founder's Award for Fundamental Contributions to Bone and Mineral Research), the American Society for Nephrology (Young Investigator Award), the American Society for Nutrition (E.V. McCollum Award) and the American College of Physicians (John Phillips Memorial Award).
Dr. Kumar has served as chair of the Division of Nephrology and Hypertension and as chair of the Proteomics Research Center at Mayo Clinic. Many of his lab's research fellows have gone on to independent clinical and research careers. Dr. Kumar's work has had an unusually high impact (h-index #70).