NephCure Specialist of the Month: Meet Dr. Kirk Campbell

We are incredibly proud to highlight Dr. Kirk Campbell, our NephCure Specialist of the Month for July. This initiative recognizes the outstanding contributions of NephCure Specialist to the field of nephrology, spotlighting their work, projects, accomplishments, and valuable advice to the rare kidney disease (RKD) patient community.

Dr. Kirk Campbell is the C. Mahlon Kline Professor of Medicine and Chief of the Renal-Electrolyte and Hypertension Division at the University of Pennsylvania Perelman School of Medicine. Prior to joining the University of Pennsylvania, Dr. Campbell was a Professor of Medicine at Mount Siani in New York where he held several leadership roles including serving as the founding Director of Mount Sinai Center for Kidney Disease Innovation, Nephrology Fellowship Director and Vice Chair of the Department of Medicine. He is also a Past-President of the New York Society of Nephrology.

In addition to treating patients with kidney disease, Dr. Campbell leads a translational research program centered on developing novel therapeutic interventions for proteinuric kidney diseases. He actively participates in clinical trials testing novel agents for primary glomerular disease and is an elected member of the American Society for Clinical Investigation.

Dr. Campbell currently serves as Co-Medical Director on NephCure’s Board of Directors, President of the National Kidney Foundation, and Chair of the National Kidney Foundation’s Scientific Advisory Board.

With Rare Kidneys on the Hill Day taking place in July, we sat down with Dr. Campbell to learn more about his passion for advocacy and the importance of giving patients and physicians a voice in shaping the future of rare kidney care.

When we asked Dr. Campbell what role advocacy can play in accelerating innovation and improving quality of life for people affected with rare kidney disease, he shared: “Advocacy is what closes the gap between what’s scientifically possible and what is actually available to patients. For decades, FSGS and IgA nephropathy had no approved therapies — not because the science was impossible, but because patient advocates had to first build the registries, natural history data, and regulatory cases that made trials feasible.

“As Dr. Campbell shared, “Advocacy is what closes the gap between what’s scientifically possible and what is actually available to patients.” Recognizing that advocacy can feel intimidating, especially for those who are new to engaging with lawmakers or sharing their personal experiences, we asked Dr. Campbellwhat advice he would offer to patients who may feel hesitant about speaking up and advocating for themselves. He shared: “Patients already have the expertise that matters most — congressional staff can handle appropriations and committee jurisdiction, but no one in that room can describe what it’s like to be told you have a disease with limited treatment options. Patients don’t have to do it alone, either; organizations like NephCure handle the policy scaffolding, so patients can focus on being honest about their experience. This is where the impact truly lies: nearly every advance in kidney policy, from the Medicare ESRD benefit to living donor protections, happened because patients kept showing up and telling their stories.”

During NephCure’s Rare Kidneys on the Hill Day, advocates come together to raise awareness about rare kidney diseases (RKD) and share their stories with members of Congress on policies that directly impact their lives. This year, advocates supported the New Era in Preventing End-Stage Kidney Disease Act (H.R. 1518), a critical step toward improving early detection, access to care, and outcomes for people living with kidney disease.

When we asked Dr. Campbell how the New Era Act could transform the way patients access care and engage with their healthcare providers, he shared: “The bill works on the infrastructure around the patient: ensuring that the appropriate expertise is available when patients make contact with the healthcare system. It directs NIDDK to fund regional centers of excellence, and invests in the workforce through HRSA fellowships and an expansion of Primary Care Training and Enhancement priorities to include kidney disease. That second piece is crucial: empowering primary care clinicians to recognize when hematruia, proteinuria or a family history warrants urgent referral can significantly shorten the diagnostic odyssey that patients with rare kidney diseases often experience.”

As Rare Kidneys on the Hill Day reminds us, meaningful change happens when we raise our voices together. NephCure is proud to stand alongside patients, families, physicians, and advocates as we work toward a future with better treatments and improved outcomes for people living with rare kidney diseases.

For more information about NephCure Specialists and to find a rare kidney disease experts in your area visit, NephCure’s Find A Specialist Page