Shikha Wadhwani, MD, MS

Introductory episode for Kidney Compass: Navigating Clinical Trials, a new nephrology podcast from HCPLive. 

Kidney Compass Intro Episode

05:40 - Wadhwani's Professional Experience

Kidney Compass: Navigating Clinical Trials

, your guide to the latest in clinical trials and relevant updates in the 

—created by Brendon Neuen, MBBS, PhD, and Shikha Wadhwani, MD, MS.

, Kidney Compass was created to make the changing landscape of nephrology and clinical trials within the specialty easier to understand and navigate, with insights from Neuen and Wadhwani, but also special guests, including some of the leading trialists in the space. 

, the hosts introduce listeners to the podcast’s mission and themselves. After discussing the goals of the podcast, hosts offer the audience insight into their personal journeys in the field, explaining how the need for equitable care and access to innovative therapies for patients with kidney disease has shaped their work.

Wadhwani, the director of Clinical trials in the Division of Nephrology and the vice chair of Clinical Research in the Department of Medicine at the University of Texas Medical Branch, provides the audience with insight into her past experiences at Northwestern University, where she launched the institution’s glomerular disease program, but also into what inspired her to pursue a career in nephrology.

Later, Neuen, nephrologist and director of the Kidney Trials Unit at Royal North Shore Hospital and senior research fellow at The George Institute for Global Health, describes how his experience in the northern regions of Australia and providing care for Indigenous Australians fueled his desire to pursue an impactful career in public health, with nephrology as his chosen medium to effect this change.

Beyond their personal experiences in nephrology and medicine, the episode highlights key topics, including the rapid advancements in therapies for glomerular disease, diabetic kidney disease, and the challenges posed by the evolving standards of care. Neuen and Wadhwani emphasize the importance of these clinical trials in driving progress and improving patient outcomes, noting how FDA-approved therapies are emerging from rigorous trials, but also underlining the complexities of trial design, including statistical methods and the continued evolution of endpoints.

Looking ahead, the co-hosts share their excitement about diving deeper into various aspects of nephrology research in future episodes, including multiple planned episodes at the upcoming American Society of Nephrology’s Kidney Week 2024.

 include AstraZeneca, Bayer, Boehringer and Ingelheim, Janssen, and others. Relevant disclosures for 

include the National Institute of Diabetes and Digestive and Kidney Diseases, GSK, Calliditas and Travere Therapeutics

Podcasts

Kidney Compass is a new podcast on HCPLive, hosted by Brendon Neuen and Shikha Wadhwani, focusing on nephrology clinical trials. The podcast aims to simplify the evolving landscape of nephrology, featuring insights from the hosts and leading trialists. The inaugural episode introduces the hosts' backgrounds and their commitment to equitable care and innovative therapies for kidney disease. Key topics include advancements in glomerular and diabetic kidney disease therapies, trial design complexities, and future research discussions. Disclosures for Neuen and Wadhwani include affiliations with various pharmaceutical companies and research institutions.

Kidney Compass: Navigating Clinical Trials is a multimedia podcast from HCPLive hosted by Brendon Neuen, MBBS, PhD, and Shikha Wadhwani, MD, MS, aimed at exploring the latest in clinical trials and updates in nephrology.

Shikha Wadhwani, MD, MS

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