A leading researcher in applying DNA sequencing to diagnostics will present the Robert W. Schrier, MD, Endowed Lectureship on Friday, Nov. 8. Ali G. Gharavi, MD, will speak on “Diagnostic Exome Sequencing in Chronic Kidney Disease (CKD).”
Dr. Gharavi is the Jay Meltzer Professor of Nephrology and Hypertension and chief of the division of nephrology at the Columbia University Irving Medical Center in New York City. He is also director of the Center for Medical Genetics and Genomics at Columbia University.
Dr. Gharavi’s research is focused on the molecular genetics of kidney diseases. His work has led to the discovery of genes and loci for glomerulonephritis, hypertension, polycystic liver disease, and congenital defects of the kidney and urinary tract. His recent research has demonstrated the utility of sequencing in the diagnosis and management of patients with nephropathy. His ultimate goal is to bring personalized genomic nephrology from the laboratory into patient care.
Dr. Gharavi is the principal investigator of multiple scientific projects funded by the National Institutes of Health. His research has led to the publication of 85 peer-reviewed articles, 25 reviews and editorials, and four book chapters.
He has served ASN in many capacities, including chairing abstract reviews for genetics, molecular genetics, and basic and experimental immunology; co-chairing several oral communications sessions; co-chairing a symposium on genetic tools to study renal function; co-chairing a conference on genome engineering; and serving on the program committee of an annual meeting. He served on the board of directors of the eastern chapter of the American Society of Hypertension.
Dr. Gharavi has served on the editorial boards of the American Journal of Physiology—Renal Physiology, Kidney International, and JASN. He is currently on the boards of the Journal of Nephrology and Kidney International Reports.
Among his many honors, he received the Judson Daland Prize for Outstanding Clinical Investigation from the American Philosophical Society, the National Kidney Foundation clinical scientist award, and the Kidney and Urology Foundation innovator award. He was elected to the American Society of Clinical Investigation and the American Association of Physicians.
After receiving his medical degree from George Washington University, Dr. Gharavi completed his residency in internal medicine and fellowships in hypertension and nephrology at Mount Sinai Medical Center in New York City. He then completed a postdoctoral fellowship in human genetics at Yale University School of Medicine. He joined Columbia University in 2003.
