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Tenee Hawkins
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American Kidney Fund Awards 2010 Clinical Scientist in Nephrology Fellowships

Rockville, MD (April 15, 2010) — Today, the American Kidney Fund announced the recipients of the 2010 Clinical Scientist in Nephrology (CSN) fellowship: Jamie Green, MD; Jenny Shen, MD; and Delphine Tuot, MD.  The recipients will conduct prevention and outcomes research and receive advanced training in essential skills such as medical ethics, biostatistics and epidemiology.

The goal of the American Kidney Fund’s CSN Program is to improve the quality of care provided to kidney patients and to promote clinical research in nephrology. This goal is achieved by enhancing the training of nephrologists who desire to pursue an academic career and whose primary professional commitment is to scholarship in the provision of patient care.

"We are honored to recognize the 2010 CSN fellows for their leadership in nephrology research and dedicated service to kidney patients," said LaVarne A. Burton, President and CEO of the American Kidney Fund.  "To the distinguished fellows, I extend congratulations and best wishes in their academic and professional pursuits.  I also thank both Amgen and Genzyme Corporation for their contributions which make these fellowships possible."

The 2010 Clinical Scientist in Nephrology fellows have diverse interests and goals:

• Dr. Jamie Green is an American Kidney Fund-Genzyme Clinical Scientist in Nephrology from the University of Pittsburgh. Dr. Green’s research will examine the association of health literacy with clinical outcomes in hemodialysis patients. Her study will assess the association of health literacy with dialysis treatment adherence in patients receiving in-center hemodialysis.
•  Dr. Jenny Shen, an American Kidney Fund-Amgen Clinical Scientist in Nephrology at Stanford University, will determine the associations among heparin dose and the risks of important clinical events using her research entitled “Risks and Benefits of Heparin Use in Maintenance Hemodialysis.” Her study will also describe patterns and correlates of heparin use in patients receiving maintenance hemodialysis at the facilities of a national provider of dialysis services.
• Dr. Delphine Tuot, an American Kidney Fund-Amgen Clinical Scientist in Nephrology at the University of California, San Francisco, will determine whether patient awareness of CKD is associated with greater application of evidence-based medical regimens in a nationally representative sample. Additionally, her study will seek to determine concordance between physician recognition and patient awareness of CKD in clinical settings with diverse patients in the San Francisco Bay area.

For more information about the American Kidney Fund and the CSN program, visit www.kidneyfund.org.

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About the American Kidney Fund
The American Kidney Fund is the nation’s No. 1 source of treatment-related financial assistance to kidney patients and a leader in providing health education to people with or at risk for kidney disease.  In 2009, the American Kidney Fund provided nearly $155 million in treatment-related financial assistance to more than 87,000 dialysis patients nationwide.  The American Kidney Fund reaches tens of thousands of individuals each year with information about kidney health; operates a kidney disease screening program in high-risk communities; and maintains a toll-free HelpLine (866-300-2900) which provides education about kidney disease. The American Kidney Fund is a seven-time recipient of the highest “Four Star” rating from Charity Navigator; holds an A+ rating from the American Institute of Philanthropy; adheres to the National Health Council Standards of Excellence; and is a member of the Better Business Bureau Wise Giving Alliance. For more information, visit www.kidneyfund.org.