Robert G. Nelson, M.D., Ph.D.


PECRB
DIABETES EPDMLGY & CLINICAL RESEARCH SECTION
NIDDK, National Institutes of Health
Building PECRB , Room 604
1550 E Indian School Rd.
Phoenix, AZ 85014
Tel: 602-200-5205
Fax: 602-200-5225
Email: rgnelson@mail.nih.gov

Robert G. Nelson, M.D., Ph.D.

Education / Previous Training and Experience:
M.D., Loma Linda University, 1978
B.S., Loma Linda University, 1978
M.P.H., Harvard University, 1986
Ph.D., University of California, Los Angeles, 1998


Research Statement:

Dr. Nelson has worked with the Pima Indians in Arizona since 1986. His research focuses primarily on the kidney complications of type 2 diabetes mellitus. Current activities include identification of biomarkers for diabetic kidney disease and characterization of the structural and functional changes within the kidneys that occur with the development and progression of diabetic kidney disease. He is also conducting a clinical trial to determine if treatment with a particular blood pressure medicine will protect the kidneys from the damaging effects of diabetes. Expression of various genes/proteins in kidney tissue is also a major part of his work, with the goal of identifying the metabolic pathways responsible for kidney injury.



Selected Publications:

Pavkov ME, Knowler WC, Lemley KV, Mason CC, Myers BD, Nelson RG. Early renal function decline in type 2 diabetes. Clinical Journal of the American Society of Nephrology. (Epub 10 November 2011). [Full Text/Abstract]

Berhane AM, Weil EJ, Knowler WC, Nelson RG, Hanson RL. Albuminuria and estimated glomerular filtration rate as predictors of diabetic end-stage renal disease. Clinical Journal of the American Society of Nephrology. 6;2444-2451, 2011. [Full Text/Abstract]

Jumpertz R, Hanson RL, Sievers ML, Bennett PH, Nelson RG, Krakoff J. Higher energy expenditure in humans predicts natural mortality. Journal of Clinical Endocrinology & Metabolism. 96;E972-E976, 2011. [Full Text/Abstract]

Williams RC, Muller YL, Hanson RL, Knowler WC, Mason CC, Bian L, Ossowski V, Wiedrich K, Chen YF, Marcovina S, Hahnke J, Nelson RG, Baier LJ, Bogardus C. HLA-DRB1 reduces the risk of type 2 diabetes mellitus by increased insulin secretion. Diabetologia. 54;1684-1692, 2011. [Full Text/Abstract]

Gödel M, Hartleben B, Herbach N, Liu S, Zschiedrich S, Lu S, Debreczeni-Mór A, Lindenmeyer MT, Rastaldi MP, Hartleben G, Wiech T, Fornoni A, Nelson RG, Kretzler M, Wanke R, Pavenstädt H, Kerjaschki D, Cohen CD, Hall MN, Ruegg M, Inoki K, Walz G, Huber TB. Role of mTOR in podocyte function and diabetic nephropathy in humans and mice. The Journal of Clinical Investigation. 121;2197-2209, 2011. [Full Text/Abstract]

Nelson RG. Is treatment of nephropathy in type 1 diabetes efficacious but ineffective? Journal of the American Society of Nephrology. 20;402-404, 2011. [Full Text/Abstract]

Stevens LA, Claybon MA, Schmid CH, Chen J, Horio M, Imai E, Nelson RG, Van Deventer M, Wang H-Y, Zuo L, Zhang YL, Levey AS. Evaluation of the Chronic Kidney Disease Epidemiology Collaboration equation for estimating the glomerular filtration rate in multiple ethnicities. Kidney International. 79;555-562, 2011. [Full Text/Abstract]

Pavkov ME, Hanson RL, Knowler WC, Sievers ML, Bennett PH, Nelson RG. Effect of intrauterine diabetes exposure on the incidence of end-stage renal disease in young adults with type 2 diabetes. Diabetes Care. 33;2396-2398, 2010. [Full Text/Abstract]

Hanson RL, Millis MP, Young NJ, Yeatts KA, Kobes S, Nelson RG, Knowler WC, DiStefano JK. ELMO1 variants and susceptibility to diabetic nephropathy in American Indians. Molecular Genetics and Metabolism. 101;383-390, 2010. [Full Text/Abstract]

Kim NH, Pavkov ME, Knowler WC, Hanson RL, Weil EJ, Curtis JM, Bennett PH, Nelson RG. Predictive value of albuminuria in American Indian youth with or without type 2 diabetes. Pediatrics. 125;e844-e851, 2010. [Full Text/Abstract]

Pavkov ME, Mason CC, Bennett PH, Curtis JM, Knowler WC, Nelson RG. Change in the distribution of albuminuria according to estimated glomerular filtration rate in Pima Indians with type 2 diabetes. Diabetes Care. 32;1845-50, 2009. [Full Text/Abstract]

Sanchez-Niño MD, Sanz AB, Ihalmo P, Lassila M, Holthofer H, Mezzano S, Aros C, Groop PH, Saleem MA, Mathieson PW, Langham R, Kretzler M, Nair V, Lemley KV, Nelson RG, Mervaala E, Mattinzoli D, Rastaldi MP, Ruiz-Ortega M, Martin-Ventura JL, Egido J, Ortiz A. The MIF receptor CD74 in diabetic podocyte injury. Journal of the American Society of Nephrology. 20;353-62, 2009. [Full Text/Abstract]

Berthier CC, Zhang H, Schin ML, Henger A, Nelson RG, Yee B, Boucherot A, Neusser MA, Cohen CK, Carter-Su C, Argetsinger LS, Rastaldi MP, Brosius FC, Kretzler M. Enhanced expression of Janus kinase-signal transducer and activator of transcription pathway members in human diabetic nephropathy. Diabetes. 58;469-77, 2009. [Full Text/Abstract]

Pavkov ME, Knowler WC, Hanson RL, Bennett PH, Nelson RG. Predictive power of sequential measures of albuminuria for progression to end-stage renal disease or death in Pima Indians with type 2 diabetes. American Journal of Kidney Diseases. 51;759-66, 2008. [Full Text/Abstract]

Pavkov ME, Hanson RL, Knowler WC, Bennett PH, Krakoff J, Nelson RG. Changing patterns of type 2 diabetes incidence among Pima Indians. Diabetes Care. 30;1758-63, 2007. [Full Text/Abstract]

Otu HH, Can H, Spentzos D, Nelson RG, Hanson RL, Looker HC, Knowler WC, Monroy M, Libermann TA, Karumanchi SA, Thadhani R. Prediction of diabetic nephropathy using urine proteomic profiling 10 years prior to development of nephropathy. Diabetes Care. 30;638-43, 2007. [Full Text/Abstract]

National Kidney Foundation (RG Nelson-K/DOQI Work Group Co-Chair). KDOQI™ Clinical Practice Guidelines and Clinical Practice Recommendations for Diabetes and Chronic Kidney Disease. American Journal of Kidney Diseases. 49;S1-S180, 2007. [Full Text/Abstract]

Shultis WA, Weil EJ, Looker HC, Curtis JM, Shlossman M, Genco RJ, Knowler WC, Nelson RG. Effect of periodontitis on overt nephropathy and end-stage renal disease in type 2 diabetes. Diabetes Care. 30;306-11, 2007. [Full Text/Abstract]

Pavkov ME, Knowler WC, Bennett PH, Looker HC, Krakoff J, Nelson RG. Increasing incidence of proteinuria and declining incidence of end-stage renal disease in diabetic Pima Indians. Kidney International. 70;1840-6, 2006. [Full Text/Abstract]

Pavkov ME, Bennett PH, Knowler WC, Krakoff J, Sievers ML, Nelson RG. Effect of youth-onset type 2 diabetes on incidence of end-stage renal disease and mortality in young and middle-aged Pima Indians. JAMA. 296;421-6, 2006. [Full Text/Abstract]

Hoehner CM, Williams DE, Sievers ML, Knowler WC, Bennett PH, Nelson RG. Trends in heart disease death rates in diabetic and nondiabetic Pima Indians. Journal of Diabetes and its Complications. 20;8-13, 2006. [Full Text/Abstract]

Perkins BA, Nelson RG, Krolewski AS. Cystatin C and the risk of death. The New England Journal of Medicine. 353;842-4, 2005. (author reply) [Full Text/Abstract]

Perkins BA, Nelson RG, Ostrander BE, Blouch KL, Krolewski AS, Myers BD, Warram JH. Detection of renal function decline in patients with diabetes and normal or elevated GFR by serial measurements of serum cystatin C concentration: results of a 4-year follow-up study. Journal of the American Society of Nephrology. 16;1404-12, 2005. [Full Text/Abstract]

Abidi SM, Negrete HO, Zahid I, Bennett PH, Nelson RG. Diabetic end-stage renal disease in the indigenous population of the Commonwealth of the Northern Mariana Islands. Nephrology (Carlton). 10;291-5, 2005. [Full Text/Abstract]

Valencia ME, Weil EJ, Nelson RG, Esparza J, Schulz LO, Ravussin E, Bennett PH. Impact of lifestyle on prevalence of kidney disease in Pima Indians in Mexico and the United States. Kidney International. 68;S141-4, 2005. [Full Text/Abstract]

Lemley KV, Boothroyd DB, Blouch KL, Nelson RG, Jones LI, Olshen RA, Myers BD. Modeling GFR trajectories in diabetic nephropathy. American Journal of Physiology – Renal Physiology. 289;F863-70, 2005. [Full Text/Abstract]

Saremi A, Nelson RG, Tulloch-Reid M, Hanson RL, Sievers ML, Taylor GW, Shlossman M, Bennett PH, Genco R, Knowler WC. Periodontal disease and mortality in type 2 diabetes. Diabetes Care. 28;27-32, 2005. [Full Text/Abstract]

Pavkov ME, Bennett PH, Sievers ML, Krakoff J, Williams DE, Knowler WC, Nelson RG. Predominant effect of kidney disease on mortality in Pima Indians with or without type 2 diabetes. Kidney International. 68;1267-74, 2005. [Full Text/Abstract]

Beisswenger PJ, Drummond KS, Nelson RG, Howell SK, Szwergold BS, Mauer M. Susceptibility to diabetic nephropathy is related to dicarbonyl and oxidative stress. Diabetes. 54;3274-81, 2005. [Full Text/Abstract]

Looker HC, Krakoff J, Funahashi T, Matsuzawa Y, Tanaka S, Nelson RG, Knowler WC, Lindsay RS, Hanson RL. Adiponectin concentrations are influenced by renal function and diabetes duration in Pima Indians with type 2 diabetes. The Journal of Clinical Endocrinology & Metabolism. 89;4010-7, 2004. [Full Text/Abstract]

Pavkov ME, Sievers ML, Knowler WC, Bennett PH, Nelson RG. An explanation for the increase in heart disease mortality rates in diabetic Pima Indians; effect of renal replacement therapy. Diabetes Care. 27;1132-6, 2004. [Full Text/Abstract]

Beisswenger PJ, Howell SK, Nelson RG, Mauer M, Szwergold BS. Alpha-oxoaldehyde metabolism and diabetic complications. Biochemical Society Transactions. 31;1358-63, 2003. [Full Text/Abstract]

Krakoff J, Lindsay RS, Looker HC, Nelson RG, Hanson RL, Knowler WC. Incidence of retinopathy and nephropathy in youth-onset compared with adult-onset type 2 diabetes. Diabetes Care. 26;76-81, 2003. [Full Text/Abstract]

Nelson RG. Intrauterine determinants of diabetic kidney disease in disadvantaged populations. Kidney International. 63;S13-6, 2003. [Full Text/Abstract]

Harwell TS, Nelson RG, Little RR, McDowall JM, Helgerson SD, Gohdes D. Testing for microalbuminuria in 2002; barriers to implementing current guidelines. American Journal of Kidney Diseases. 42;245-8, 2003. [Full Text/Abstract]

Imperatore G, Knowler WC, Nelson RG, Hanson RL. Genetics of diabetic nephropathy in the Pima Indians. Current Diabetes Reports. 1;275-81, 2001. [Full Text/Abstract]

Williams DE, Knowler WC, Smith CJ, Hanson RL, Roumain J, Saremi A, Kriska AM, Bennett PH, Nelson RG. The effect of Indian or Anglo dietary preference on the incidence of diabetes in Pima Indians. Diabetes Care. 24;811-6, 2001. [Full Text/Abstract]

Brun E, Nelson RG, Bennett PH, Imperatore G, Zoppini G, Verlato G, Muggeo M. Diabetes duration and cause-specific mortality in the Verona Diabetes Study. Diabetes Care. 23;1119-23, 2000. [Full Text/Abstract]

Mayfield JA, Reiber GE, Nelson RG, Greene T. Do foot examinations reduce the risk of diabetic amputation? The Journal of Family Practice. 49;499-504, 2000. [Full Text/Abstract]

Lemley KV, Abdullah I, Myers BD, Meyer TW, Blouch K, Smith WE, Bennett PH, Nelson RG. Evolution of incipient nephropathy in type 2 diabetes mellitus. Kidney International. 58;1228-37, 2000. [Full Text/Abstract]

Lemley KV, Blouch K, Abdullah I, Boothroyd DB, Bennett PH, Myers BD, Nelson RG. Glomerular permselectivity at the onset of nephropathy in type 2 diabetes mellitus. Journal of the American Society of Nephrology. 11;2095-105, 2000. [Full Text/Abstract]

Nelson RG, Tan M, Beck GJ, Bennett PH, Knowler WC, Mitch WE, Blouch K, Myers BD. Changing glomerular filtration with progression from impaired glucose tolerance to Type II diabetes mellitus. Diabetologia. 42;90-3, 1999. [Full Text/Abstract]

Meyer TW, Bennett PH, Nelson RG. Podocyte number predicts long-term urinary albumin excretion in Pima Indians with Type II diabetes and microalbuminuria. Diabetologia. 42;1341-4, 1999. [Full Text/Abstract]

Nelson RG, Morgenstern H, Bennett PH. Birth weight and renal disease in Pima Indians with type 2 diabetes mellitus. American Journal of Epidemiology. 148;650-6, 1998. [Full Text/Abstract]

Nelson RG, Morgenstern H, Bennett PH. Intrauterine diabetes exposure and the risk of renal disease in diabetic Pima Indians. Diabetes. 47;1489-93, 1998. [Full Text/Abstract]

Nelson RG, Bennett PH, Beck GJ, Tan M, Knowler WC, Mitch WE, Hirschman GH, Myers BD. Development and progression of renal disease in Pima Indians with non-insulin-dependent diabetes mellitus. Diabetic Renal Disease Study Group. The New England Journal of Medicine. 335;1636-42, 1996. [Full Text/Abstract]




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