Leading Kidney Organizations Unite to Develop Consensus Framework for Centers of Excellence in Glomerular Disease Care

San Francisco, Ca. (May 5, 2025)  — The GlomCon Foundation, American Kidney Fund, and IgA Nephropathy Foundation proudly announce a landmark collaboration to develop the consensus framework for Centers of Excellence in Glomerular Disease Care. This initiative will define clear standards to improve patient outcomes, foster clinical excellence, and accelerate research for people affected by rare and complex kidney diseases. 

Since launching the first dedicated Glomerular Disease Fellowship Program in 2020, GlomCon has trained hundreds of nephrologists worldwide and helped establish a global network of glomerular disease clinics. More recently, GlomCon convened more than 65 nephrology faculty, key opinion leaders, researchers, private practice nephrologists, and patient representatives to define the criteria for Centers of Excellence through a structured Delphi consensus process. This collaboration with the American Kidney Fund and the IgA Nephropathy Foundation amplifies GlomCon Foundation's efforts to ensure that patients everywhere can access multidisciplinary, evidence-based, patient-centered care.

The American Kidney Fund, the national nonprofit with an unmatched scope of programs supporting people wherever they are in their fight against kidney disease — from prevention through transplant — brings to the collaboration its vast reach into the kidney patient community and its longstanding expertise in educating the public about rare kidney diseases, with dozens of award-winning campaigns.  

The IgA Nephropathy Foundation, the largest patient-led organization focused on IgA nephropathy, plays a critical role in ensuring that patient perspectives are front and center. 

This initiative will directly empower our community by highlighting centers that deliver the highest standards of research and care.

Through this collaboration, the organizations will support the formal consensus framework that outlines the infrastructure, clinical capabilities, research engagement, and patient support services required for designation as a Center of Excellence. The findings are expected to be released in the Fall of 2025 and will be broadly shared with healthcare institutions, policymakers, and the global kidney disease community.

For more information about this collaboration, visit www.glomcon.org, www.kidneyfund.org, and www.igan.org.