ASN Podcast

ASN Chief Executive Officer and Executive Vice President Tod Ibrahim and Policy and Government Affairs Coordinator Lauren Ahearn discuss recent momentum supporting kidney health with Rachel Meyer, ASN Strategic Policy Advisor to the CEO and EVP.

ASN Executive Vice President and Chief Executive Officer Tod Ibrahim explores the history of eGFR with Andrew Levey, MD, Tom Hostetter, MD, and Crystal Gadegbeku, MD. Hear how policy, equity, and care have evolved, and what future assessments demand.

Continuing in part two, Dr. Srinath Yadlapalli and Dr. Matthew Arduino examine infectious risks from compromised water systems during emergencies and share practical steps to monitor water quality and maintain safe dialysis care.

Guest Dr. Jeffrey Perl joins host Dr. Tushar Chopra to explore strategies to prevent peritoneal dialysis infections, address gaps in practice, review infection trends, and discuss opportunities for progress through collaboration and team-based care.

In part one of this episode, host Dr. Srinath Yadlapalli and guest Dr. Matthew Arduino discuss methods to assess and maintain water quality at dialysis facilities during emergencies, including following the AAMI standards.

Hosts Tod Ibrahim and Lauren Ahearn are joined by Dr. Suzanne Watnick (ASN Health Policy Scholar) and Dr. Roz Mannon (Transplant Policy Chair) to discuss ASN's Hill Day and Dr. Watnick's House Ways & Means testimony.

In this episode, host Dr. Srinath Yadlapalli and guest Dr. Kristina Bryant discuss measles' diagnosis, prevention, management, and how dialysis centers can prepare for outbreaks.

Hosts Karandeep Singh, MD, and Navdeep Tangri, MD, explore how machine learning regression and predictive AI impact patient care by examining importance factors, support vector machines, data training, and ways to improve prediction accuracy.

Guests Manish Tanna, MD, Eugene Lin, MD, and Suzanne Watnick, MD, discuss the shift from privately-owned practices to large, consolidated facilities and its clinical impact on quality of life and patient outcomes with host Andrew Cohen, MD.

In this episode, host Dr. Tushar Chopra and guest Dr. Jillian Warejko-Rossi will discuss encouraging fistulas while acknowledging teens' concerns about body image, scarring, "ugly" fistulas, and fear of needles.

Alice Sheridan, MD, FASN, Jean Francis, MD, FASN, and Martina McGrath, MBChB, FASN, interview editors Klement Yeung, MD, and Christopher T. Chan, MD on nephSAP editorial "It's Time for Home Hemodialysis to be Treated as an Established Dialysis Modality."

Hosts Karandeep Singh, MD, and Navdeep Tangri, MD, dive into AI's expanding role in nephrology and how to navigate the strengths and challenges new technology poses to research as they look to the future of the kidney health landscape.

Pharmacist Ruth Smarinsky shares how Direct Relief and the American Society of Nephrology bridge kidney care gaps during global crises. Learn how they deliver dialysis supplies, transplant medications, and urgent care when disasters disrupt treatment.

Hosts Tod Ibrahim and Lauren Ahearn are joined by Rachel Meyer, ASN Senior Strategic Policy Advisor to the EVP, to break down where things stand on federal appropriations, kidney health research funding, and what to expect as we head into 2026.

Host Andrew Cohen, MD, speaks with medical historian Steven Peitzman, MD, on the birth of nephrology, a specialty that was not formally recognized until the mid-twentieth century.

Host Andrew Cohen, MD, discusses the advent of recombinant erythropoietin (rEPO) and its impact on kidney care with Paul Kimmel, MD, FASN; Daniel Coyne, MD; and Ajay Singh, MD.

Alice Sheridan, MD, FASN, and Martina McGrath, MD, FASN, speak with guest editors Sankar D. Navaneethan, MD, MS, MPH, and Garabed Eknoyan, MD, to discuss their editorial "ESKD: A Therapeutic Triumph of Nephrology" from nephSAP Volume 24, Number 4, ESKD.

Hosts Tod Ibrahim, ASN Executive Vice President and David White, Senior Quality & Regulatory Affairs Officer are joined by Lauren Ahearn, Senior Quality & Regulatory Affairs Associate to discuss the most recent spending package passed by Congress.

Kidney Week 2025 may be coming to a close, but the conversation continues. Hear Meg Jardine, MBBS, PhD, Vineeta Kumar, MD, FASN, and Robert A. Montgomery, MD, PhD, explore research trials and developments in transplant nephrology.

Listen as Matthias Kretzler, MD, Julio Saez-Rodriguez, PhD, and Katalin Susztak, MD, PhD, discuss advancements and challenges in research during the episode "Future Therapies: Science Shaping Tomorrow's Kidney Care."

Kidney Week has begun. Listen as Hiddo Jan L. Heerspink, PhD, Julie R. Ingelfinger, MD, and Richard A. Lafayette, MD, explore the impact this year's late-breaking clinical trials will have on nephrology.

ASN Executive Vice President and host Tod Ibrahim examines the obstacles early advocates overcame to secure financial coverage for dialysis for Americans living with kidney failure, with guests Charles "Chip" Kahn III, Terry Litchfield, and C.J. Blagg.

With the government officially closed, hosts Tod Ibrahim and David White explore how the shutdown affects federal health agencies, including HHS, NIH, and the VA.

Host Tod Ibrahim speaks with Ryan Murray, ASN Senior Manager of Government Affairs, about ASN's advocacy on recent NIH policy changes, the society's statement to the Senate Finance Committee, and its partnership with Research!America.

Host Dr. Tushar Chopra and guest Dr. Aisha Shaikh discuss the importance of good techniques for connecting and disconnecting HD catheters, review catheter locking solutions and novel caps, and consider new data released since the 2019 KDIGO guidelines.

What resources has ASN developed to help the nephrology community prepare for emergencies? Host Dr. Srinath Yadlapalli talks with Dr. Jeffrey Silberzweig and Sara Brady, RN, as they explore what is unique to nephrology practices in facility preparedness.

In this episode, host Dr. Tushar Chopra and guest Dr. Namrata Krishnan will discuss how to safely connect and disconnect HD catheters, common myths about catheter care in hemodialysis, and showering with a dialysis catheter.

In this first episode, host Srinath Yadlapalli, MD, MBBS, speaks with Jeffrey Silberzweig, MD, FASN, and Sarrah Johnson, DNP, MBA, RN, about emergency preparedness and response in kidney care during the COVID-19 pandemic.

Alice Sheridan, MD, FASN, and Martina McGrath, MD, FASN, speak with guest editors Daniel W. Coyne, MD, and Morgan B. Schoer, MD, about their editorial "Parathyroidectomy for Treatment of Hyperparathyroidism in CKD" from nephSAP Volume 24, Number 3.

Andrew J. Cohen, MD, FASN, leads the discussion on McCarthyism and the consequences that doctors leading the field of nephrology faced for their political ties and activism. Guests: Merlin Chowkwanyun, PhD, MPH, Kevin Lemley, MD, PhD, and Leon Fine, MD.

How could H.R. 1: One Big Beautiful Bill Act, impact kidney health policy? Hosts Tod Ibrahim and David White take the journey — Tolkien style.

Robert Mark Black, MD, and Joel M. Topf, MD, join host Andrew J. Cohen, MD, FASN, in exploring the genesis of Dr. Burton "Bud" Rose's online medical resource—UpToDate—and its lasting impact.

Hosts Tod Ibrahim and David White share key insights and takeaways from their experience at the 2025 American Medical Association (AMA) House of Delegates Annual Meeting.

Alice Sheridan, MD, FASN, and Martina McGrath, MD, FASN, speak with guest editors Dr. Reaves and Dr. Sarnak on "Benefits and risks of intensive blood pressure control in CKD patients: what does the current evidence tell us?" from nephSAP Vol 24, No 2.

Hosts Tod Ibrahim and David White dive into the latest judicial and policy developments as they relate to kidney care and preview what to watch as we head into the summer rulemaking cycle.

Host David White is joined by Dr. Dan Weiner, ASN Councilor and Council Liaison to ASN's policy committees, to discuss a leaked OMB "passback" document that outlines proposed significant cuts to the FY2026 HHS budget.

Hosts Tod Ibrahim and David White discuss the recent federal confirmations at the National Institutes of Health (NIH) and Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS), and explore their potential impact on kidney health policy

In this episode, Martina McGrath, MD, FASN, talks with guest editors Laurence H. Beck, Jr., MD, PhD, and Joyita Bharati, MD, about their editorial "A Renaissance of Clinical Trials for IgA Nephropathy" from nephSAP, Vol. 24, No.1 on glomerular diseases.

This episode shares a personal experience with dialysis and emphasizes infection prevention. Speakers discuss challenges in avoiding infection, its impact on routines, steps to protect during dialysis, and the role of staff in reducing infection risk.

This episode covers maintaining water quality for infection control in hemodialysis. Topics include AAMI standards, monitoring water quality for safety, training staff on infection control for water systems, and addressing water treatment system issues.

Host Lauren Ahearn, Senior Quality & Regulatory Affairs Associate, is joined by Rachel Meyer, Strategic Policy Advisor, Dr. Suzanne Watnick, Policy & Advocacy Committee Chair, and Dr. Roz Mannon, Transplant Policy Committee Chair to discuss ASN's Hill Day

In this second episode, experts standardize evidence-based policies to improve care, review CDC's nine Core Interventions to reduce BSI, address patient challenges in reducing BSI, and explore NHSN Dialysis Event training for better infection control.

The Infection Prevention & Transitions of Care is a series developed by the ASN Nephrologists Transforming Dialysis Safety (NTDS) initiative, led by Dr. Tushar Chopra. In episode one, experts discuss infection prevention and dialysis challenges.

Hosts Tod Ibrahim and David White dive into the latest on the possible government shutdown, an injunction blocking NIH cuts, RFK Jr.'s public comment policy change, and changes to Department of Veterans Affairs.

Hosts Tod Ibrahim and David White discuss recent legal challenges to the Trump Administration's executive orders, the House budget bill, and ASN's upcoming advocacy efforts on Capitol Hill.

Hosts Tod Ibrahim and David White provide an update and insights into the Trump Administration's recent executive actions and their impact on kidney health policy

Hosts Tod Ibrahim and David White discuss President Donald Trump's recent executive orders and their potential impact on health care and kidney health policy.

Alice Sheridan, MD, FASN, and Martina McGrath, MD, FASN, speak with guest editors Sumit Mohan, MD, MPH, FASN, and Winfred Williams, MD, to discuss "Racial Inequalities in Access to Kidney Transplantation" from nephSAP Vol. 23, No. 5, Transplantation.

Hosts Tod Ibrahim and David White are joined by Rachel Meyer, Strategic Policy Advisor to the Executive Vice President, to discuss the IOTA Final Rule, recent transplant legislation, and other end-of-year policy developments.

Hosts Tod Ibrahim and David White discuss the outcome of the recent presidential election's potential impact on kidney health policy.