Basic Science Research Track
Basic Science Research Scientist (3-4 years)
UCSF has an international reputation for excellence in research and in training physician-scientists. Fellows have an unparalleled opportunity to participate in this extraordinary environment.
Numerous research opportunities are available within the Division of Nephrology and in the basic science departments at UCSF. Major areas of nephrology-related research include tubule molecular physiology and cell biology, immunology, genetics, mechanisms of kidney injury and fibrosis, cilia biology, stem cell biology, and design of artificial kidneys.
The Molecular Medicine in Nephrology Program provides selected basic science physician-scientist fellows $40,000 funding to support their research.
Basic Research Training, Facilities, and Resources
Fellows have the option of picking any UCSF or UC Berkeley faculty as their primary mentor.
Formal and informal training and mentorship is available through the UCSF physician-scientist career development program, UCSF’s Data Science Initiative, and UCSF’s graduate programs (including the Biomedical Sciences Graduate Program, Tetrad, and Computational Precision Health).
Our fellows have been highly competitive for fellowships that have provided additional resources, training, and mentoring including UCSF’s physician-scientist scholarship program, the Chan-Zuckerberg Biohub Physician-Scientist Fellowship Program, K awards from the NIH, and transition to independence awards from the ASN, AHA, and other foundations.
UCSF has abundant basic science core resources used by our basic science fellows including: support for single cell genomics and high-throughput sequencing through CoLabs and the Center for Advanced Technology, the Center for Advanced Light Microscopy, and UCSF’s many flow cytometry cores.
| Training Faculty | Research Focus Areas |
|---|---|
| Laurence Baskin, MD | Development biology of the genitourinary tract (UCSF) |
| Wenhan Chang, PhD | Role of extracellular calcium, insulin-like growth hormone-1, parathyroid hormone, and vitamin D and their respective receptors (UCSF) |
| Thomas Chi, MD | Etiology of kidney stones and investigating novel therapeutics (founder and lead investigator for the WEstern STone Consortium) (UCSF) |
| Onur Cil, MD, PhD | Hyperoxaluria and nephrolithiasis in children, including identification of novel therapeutic targets (UCSF) |
| Markus Delling PhD | Primary cilia-dependent signaling cascades and ciliopathies including autosomal dominant polycystic kidney disease (ADPKD) (UCSF) |
| Michael Grabe, PhD | Molecular workings of ion channels and transporters; regulation of ion homeostasis (UCSF) |
| Sunita Ho, PhD | Abnormal biomineralization including nephrolithiasis (UCSF) |
| Lilly Jan, PhD | Structure and function of potassium channels (UCSF) |
| Zoltan Laszik, MD, PhD | Renal pathology, including multidimensional cellular interrogation of the kidney in acute kidney injury and chronic kidney disease (UCSF) |
| Gabriel Loeb, MD, PhD | Genetic and molecular mechanisms of chronic kidney disease and polycystic kidney disease (UCSF) |
| David Pearce, MD | Molecular mechanisms involved in renal handling of sodium and potassium (UCSF) |
| Jeremy Reiter,MD, PhD | Biology and biochemistry of ciliopathies including polycystic kidney disease (UCSF) |
| Shuvo Roy, PhD | Development of the first implantable artificial kidney (UCSF) |
| Julie Saba MD, PhD | Sphingolipid biology and steroid-resistant nephrotic syndrome (UCSF) |
| Ross Wilson, PhD | Gene editing in a variety of different chronic conditions (UC Berkeley) |