Raoul D. Nelson,
MD, PhD
Chief, Division of Pediatric Nephrology
Languages Spoken: English
Dr. Raoul Nelson received his medical degree and doctorate of philosophy from the Molecular Program at Washington University School of Medicine in St. Louis, completed his Pediatric residency at University of Utah and Primary Children’s Medical Center, and completed his Nephrology Fellowship at St. Louis Children’s Hospital at Washington University in St. Louis. He is currently a Professor in the Nephrology & Hypertension division at University of Utah and is board-certified in Pediatric Nephrology. He is Chief of the Division of Pediatric Nephrology & Hypertension and Medical Director of Pediatric Dialysis.
His research interests have included collecting duct physiology and pathophysiology, kidney development, and cystic kidney disease. He has created a number of transgenic mouse models expressing green fluorescent protein and Cre recombinase within intercalated and principal cells of the renal collecting duct. The Cre expression mouse models have been used to knockout genes from the renal collecting duct in studies of polycystic kidney disease, hypertension, kidney development and collecting duct physiology. The green fluorescent protein expressing mice were used to develop the COPAS technique for isolation of tubules for molecular analysis and perform systems biology studies of gene expression within intercalated cells of the kidney. He has also studied transcription factor regulation of collecting development and transport. Finally, he has contributed to several genetic studies of tubular disorders of the kidney including renal tubular acidosis.
He now is now transitioning to clinical research and is recruiting pediatric and adolescent patients to participate in multicenter studies as part of the Midwestern Pediatric Nephrology Research Consortium. These studies aim to define the natural history and explore treatments for kidney disease in pediatric and adolescent patients. Currently he is a co-Principal Investigator for a collaborative study of genetics and biomarkers in pediatric and adolescent IgA nephropathy and Henoch-Schonlein Purpura that will use GWAS and WES to identify novel genetic loci involved in the pathogenesis of disease. He is also a co-investigator in a study of nephrolithiasis in pediatric and adolescent patients that is under development that will investigate new approaches to treatment and also have a biological repository for future studies. He has completed a pilot study of HPV vaccine in chronic kidney disease, dialysis and transplant patients compared to healthy controls. He is also local principal investigator for randomized and open label trials of cinecalcet in treatment of patients ages 6 to < 18 years of age on dialysis with secondary hyperparathyroidism. He is also a local principal investigator for a clinical trial of azilsartan in patients ages 6 to < 18 years of age with hypertension. Such drug trials are designed to obtain FDA labeling for pediatric indication for use. The overall goal is to make contributions to improve care of renal disease in pediatric and adolescent patients.
Clinical Locations
Primary Children's Hospital Outpatient Services at Riverton
801-213-3599
801-213-3599
Specialties
Board Certification and Academic Information
| Academic Departments | Pediatrics
-
Professor |
| Academic Divisions | Pediatric Nephrology |
| Board Certification | American Board of Pediatrics (Sub: Pediatric Nephrology) National Board of Medical Examiners |
Dr. Raoul Nelson received his medical degree and doctorate of philosophy from the Molecular Program at Washington University School of Medicine in St. Louis, completed his Pediatric residency at University of Utah and Primary Children’s Medical Center, and completed his Nephrology Fellowship at St. Louis Children’s Hospital at Washington University in St. Louis. He is currently a Professor in the Nephrology & Hypertension division at University of Utah and is board-certified in Pediatric Nephrology. He is Chief of the Division of Pediatric Nephrology & Hypertension and Medical Director of Pediatric Dialysis.
His research interests have included collecting duct physiology and pathophysiology, kidney development, and cystic kidney disease. He has created a number of transgenic mouse models expressing green fluorescent protein and Cre recombinase within intercalated and principal cells of the renal collecting duct. The Cre expression mouse models have been used to knockout genes from the renal collecting duct in studies of polycystic kidney disease, hypertension, kidney development and collecting duct physiology. The green fluorescent protein expressing mice were used to develop the COPAS technique for isolation of tubules for molecular analysis and perform systems biology studies of gene expression within intercalated cells of the kidney. He has also studied transcription factor regulation of collecting development and transport. Finally, he has contributed to several genetic studies of tubular disorders of the kidney including renal tubular acidosis.
He now is now transitioning to clinical research and is recruiting pediatric and adolescent patients to participate in multicenter studies as part of the Midwestern Pediatric Nephrology Research Consortium. These studies aim to define the natural history and explore treatments for kidney disease in pediatric and adolescent patients. Currently he is a co-Principal Investigator for a collaborative study of genetics and biomarkers in pediatric and adolescent IgA nephropathy and Henoch-Schonlein Purpura that will use GWAS and WES to identify novel genetic loci involved in the pathogenesis of disease. He is also a co-investigator in a study of nephrolithiasis in pediatric and adolescent patients that is under development that will investigate new approaches to treatment and also have a biological repository for future studies. He has completed a pilot study of HPV vaccine in chronic kidney disease, dialysis and transplant patients compared to healthy controls. He is also local principal investigator for randomized and open label trials of cinecalcet in treatment of patients ages 6 to < 18 years of age on dialysis with secondary hyperparathyroidism. He is also a local principal investigator for a clinical trial of azilsartan in patients ages 6 to < 18 years of age with hypertension. Such drug trials are designed to obtain FDA labeling for pediatric indication for use. The overall goal is to make contributions to improve care of renal disease in pediatric and adolescent patients.
Academic Locations
Board Certification and Academic Information
| Academic Departments | Pediatrics
-
Professor |
| Academic Divisions | Pediatric Nephrology |
| Board Certification | American Board of Pediatrics (Sub: Pediatric Nephrology) National Board of Medical Examiners |
Education History
| Fellowship | St. Louis Children's Hospital Pediatric Nephrology Fellow, 1992 |
| Residency | University of Utah School of Medicine Pediatrics Resident, 1989 |
| Internship | University of Utah School of Medicine Pediatrics Intern, 1987 |
| Doctoral Training | Washington University Physiology Ph.D., 1986 |
| Professional Medical | Washington University Medicine M.D., 1986 |
| Undergraduate | St. Olaf College Chemistry B.A., 1979 |
| Certification | University of Utah, Eccles School of Business Leadership Development for Physician Executives Certificate, |
Selected Publications - Journal Articles
Journal Article
- Saxena V, Fitch J, Ketz J, White P, Wetzel A, Chanley MA, Spencer JD, Becknell B, Pierce KR, Arregui SW, Nelson RD, Schwartz GJ, Velazquez V, Walker LA, Chen X, Yan P, Hains DS, Schwaderer AL (2019). Whole Transcriptome Analysis of Renal Intercalated Cells Predicts Lipopolysaccharide Mediated Inhibition of Retinoid X Receptor alpha Function. Sci Rep, 9(1), 545.
- Saxena V, Hains DS, Ketz J, Chanley M, Spencer JD, Becknell B, Pierce KR, Nelson RD, Purkerson JM, Schwartz GJ, Schwaderer AL (2017). Cell-specific qRT-PCR of renal epithelial cells reveals a novel innate immune signature in murine collecting duct. Am J Physiol Renal Physiol, 315(4), F812-F823.
- Poulsen SB, Praetorius J, Damkier HH, Miller L, Nelson RD, Hummler E, Christensen BM (2015). Reducing αENaC expression in the kidney connecting tubule induces pseudohypoaldosteronism type 1 symptoms during K+ loading. Am J Physiol Renal Physiol, 310(4), F300-10.
- Elizabeth Parsons C, Nelson R, Book LS, Kyle Jensen M (2014). Renal replacement therapy in infants and children with hepatorenal syndrome awaiting liver transplantation: a case-control study. Liver Transpl, 20(12), 1468-74.
- Miller RL, Zhang P, Chen T, Rohrwasser A, Nelson RD (2006). Automated method for the isolation of collecting ducts. Am J Physiol Renal Physiol, 291(1), F236-45.
- Kishore BK, Krane CM, Miller RL, Shi H, Zhang P, Hemmert A, Sun R, Nelson RD (2005). P2Y2 receptor mRNA and protein expression is altered in inner medullas of hydrated and dehydrated rats: relevance to AVP-independent regulation of IMCD function. Am J Physiol Renal Physiol, 288(6), F1164-72.