Faculty Research

Eileen D. Brewer, M.D.
Dr. Brewer’s research is focused on national multi-center clinical investigations of kidney disease in childhood and adolescence, including an NIH-sponsored controlled therapeutic trial comparing two treatment regimens to induce remission of proteinuria in pediatric patients with focal segmental glomerulosclerosis and a prospective cohort study of chronic kidney disease in children designed to determine risk factors for progression of kidney failure, risk factors for developing cardiovascular disease and the effects of progressive kidney disease on growth and development.

Ewa Elenberg, M.D.
Dr. Elenberg is interested in growth in chronic kidney disease, cystinosis and dysfunctional voiding.

Daniel I. Feig, M.D., Ph.D., M.S.
Dr. Feig’s research program is directed at determining the physiological underpinnings of essential hypertension and improving the treatment of hypertension in children. His descriptive, physiology studies have demonstrated the associations between uric acid and the onset of essential hypertension and a combination of in vitro and animal model laboratory studies are investigating the mechanisms involved. He recently completed a clinical trial demonstrating the lowering uric acid ameliorates hypertension is certain adolescents. He runs several studies investigating the impact of hypertension on children, including defining its symptoms, effect on sleep patterns and effects on quality of life. His clinical trials include independent studies evaluating the utility of modulating serum uric acid levels early in the course of essential hypertension and evaluating interventions for primary prevention of obesity related hypertension in adolescents.

Stuart L. Goldstein, M.D.
Dr. Goldstein’s clinical investigation focuses upon the area of chronic and acute dialysis therapy and associated outcomes. Dr. Goldstein has investigated the health related quality of life in children with End-Stage Renal Disease and has completed work to develop the first pediatric ESRD specific HRQOL assessment instrument with applications toward improved transition to adult centered care and exercise capacity for children receiving dialysis or with a renal transplant. His current ESRD efforts focus upon determining the role of inflammation, endovascular dysfunction, and malnutrition on the development of cardiovascular disease in children receiving chronic dialysis. Dr. Goldstein has conducted the first study to validate new definitions of acute kidney injury in critically ill children and is investigating new putative urinary biomarkers to diagnosis pediatric acute kidney injury earlier than standard techniques. Dr. Goldstein is the Principal Investigator and secured extramural funding from various sources for the 12-center Prospective Pediatric Continuous Renal Replacement Registry, which serves as the largest repository of pediatric CRRT data in the world. The ppCRRT is now funded to investigate the effects of different CRRT modalities upon clearance of pro-inflammatory mediators in critically ill children with sepsis and will also assess the effect of CRRT on thea pharmacokinetics of commonly used medications used to support the critically ill child. Dr. Goldstein has created the first pediatric acute care nephrology fellowship and has mentored the first fellow, Dr. Michael Zappitelli to complete research to (1) assess the impact of CRRT on amino acid, trace mineral and vitamin balance in critically ill children with acute kidney injury, (2) validate different definitions of pediatric acute kidney injury, (3) validate urinary biomarkers in pediatric AKI and (4) assess the healthcare cost impact of aminoglycoside level monitoring and nephrotoxicity in hospitalized pediatric patients.

Arundhati S. Kale, M.B.B.S.
Dr. Kale in collaboration with Drs. Feig, Adrogue, Zhou and Lou, is investigating the role of T lymphocytes in the pathogenesis of minimal change disease. She has completed and published a retrospective study of patients with lupus nephritis to analyze the prognostic effect of monthly cytoxan infusions, in collaboration with Drs. Askenazi and Myones. The second phase of the study is in progress in collaboration with Drs. Kamdar and Myones.

Mini Michael, M.B.B.S.
Dr. Michael is involved in clinical research. She has expertise in performing systematic reviews and has recently completed a systematic review of randomized controlled studies on Interventions for hemolytic uremic syndrome and thrombotic thrombocytopenic purpura. She is currently involved in conducting a retrospective review of pediatric renal transplantation outcome with long-term dual immunosuppression being followed at Texas Children's for the last 20 years in collaboration with Drs. Brewer and Kale. She is also currently conducting a study to determine the levels of the cytokine TNF-α in patients with steroid-dependent or resistant nephrotic syndrome in collaboration with Dr. Myones and Dr. Kale.