David K. Hooper
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David K. Hooper, MD, MS

Languages spoken: English, Russian

Clinical Locations

Primary Location

Eccles Primary Children's Outpatient Services Building

Pediatric Nephrology
81 N Mario Capecchi Drive
Salt Lake City , UT 84113
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Primary Children's Hospital

Pediatric Nephrology
100 N Mario Capecchi Drive
Salt Lake City , UT 84113
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Primary Children's Hospital - Lehi

Pediatric Nephrology
2250 N Miller Campus Dr
Lehi , UT 84043
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Dr. David K. Hooper, MD MS serves as Division Chief of Pediatric Nephrology at the University of Utah Spencer Fox Eccles School of Medicine and Intermountain Primary Children’s Hospital. He is also Medical Director of Kidney Transplantation and Population Health for Chronic Care Delivery for Intermountain Children’s Health and Principal Investigator and co-founder of the Improving Renal Outcomes Collaborative (IROC)—a national learning health network dedicated to transforming long-term outcomes for children, adolescents, and young adult kidney transplant recipients. His career has been dedicated to studying outcomes of children with a kidney transplant and creating reliable learning systems of care that improve health for children with kidney disease and other chronic illnesses.

A board-certified pediatric nephrologist, Dr. Hooper received his medical degree from the University of Utah School of Medicine in 2003. He went on to complete a master’s degree in clinical and translational research at the University of Cincinnati and advanced quality-improvement training through the Quality Scholars in Healthcare Transformation program at Cincinnati Children’s Hospital.

Dr. Hooper’s clinical practice includes the care of infants, children, adolescents, and young adults with chronic kidney disease, nephrotic syndrome, congenital kidney anomalies, hypertension, acute kidney injury, and complex transplant-related conditions. He oversees pediatric dialysis, plasma exchange, and kidney transplant services, providing care to patients from Utah and the broader Mountain West region.

As a Professor of Pediatrics in the Division of Nephrology at the University of Utah, Dr. Hooper integrates clinical outcomes research, personalized transplant care, and system-level improvement science in a learning healthcare system to advance long-term health, longevity, and quality of life for children with kidney disease.

Specialties

Board Certification

American Board of Pediatrics (Sub: Pediatric Nephrology)

Dr. David K. Hooper, MD MS serves as Division Chief of Pediatric Nephrology at the University of Utah Spencer Fox Eccles School of Medicine and Intermountain Primary Children’s Hospital. He is also Medical Director of Kidney Transplantation and Population Health for Chronic Care Delivery for Intermountain Children’s Health and Principal Investigator and co-founder of the Improving Renal Outcomes Collaborative (IROC)—a national learning health network dedicated to transforming long-term outcomes for children, adolescents, and young adult kidney transplant recipients. His career has been dedicated to studying outcomes of children with a kidney transplant and creating reliable learning systems of care that improve health for children with kidney disease and other chronic illnesses.

A board-certified pediatric nephrologist, Dr. Hooper received his medical degree from the University of Utah School of Medicine in 2003. He went on to complete a master’s degree in clinical and translational research at the University of Cincinnati and advanced quality-improvement training through the Quality Scholars in Healthcare Transformation program at Cincinnati Children’s Hospital.

Dr. Hooper’s clinical practice includes the care of infants, children, adolescents, and young adults with chronic kidney disease, nephrotic syndrome, congenital kidney anomalies, hypertension, acute kidney injury, and complex transplant-related conditions. He oversees pediatric dialysis, plasma exchange, and kidney transplant services, providing care to patients from Utah and the broader Mountain West region.

As a Professor of Pediatrics in the Division of Nephrology at the University of Utah, Dr. Hooper integrates clinical outcomes research, personalized transplant care, and system-level improvement science in a learning healthcare system to advance long-term health, longevity, and quality of life for children with kidney disease.

Board Certification and Academic Information

Academic Departments Pediatrics -Professor
Academic Divisions Nephrology & Hypertension
Board Certification
American Board of Pediatrics (Sub: Pediatric Nephrology)

Education history

Graduate Training Clinical and Translational Research - University of Cincinnati M.S.
Fellowship Nephrology and Hypertension - Cincinnati Children’s Hospital Medical Center Fellow
Residency Pediatrics - Cincinnati Children's Hospital Medical Center Chief Resident
Residency Pediatrics - Cincinnati Children’s Hospital Medical Center Resident
Professional Medical Medicine - University of Utah School of Medicine M.D.
Undergraduate Russian - University of Utah B.A.

Selected Publications

Journal Article

  1. Merrill KA, Kirby C, Ambrosino T, Varnell CD Jr, Bondoc A, Chawla L, Goldstein SL, Hooper DK (2026). Machine Perfusion and Mitigating Risk Factors for Delayed Graft Function in Pediatric Kidney Transplant Recipients. Pediatr Transplant, 30(8), e70429.
  2. Verghese PS, Gbadegesin R, Amer H, Amaral S, Bock M, Chambers ET, Chavers B, Cramer C, El Ters M, Garro R, Govil A, Harshman LN, Hooper DK, Israni A, Riad S, Sageshima J, Shapiro R, Siefert ME, Smith J, Sung R, Thomas C, Wang Q, Rheault MN (2026). Under-enrollment in rare kidney disease trials: lessons learned from the PRIVENT recurrent FSGS. Nephrol Dial Transplant.
  3. Hite CM, Merrill KA, Chin C, Hayes D Jr, Miethke AG, Kocoshis SA, Varnell CD, Kinney S, Ambrosino T, Brailey P, Hooper DK (2025). Allosensitization From Blood Transfusion in Pediatric Solid Organ Transplant Candidates: Impact of Irradiation. Pediatr Transplant, 30(1), e70265.
  4. Cody EM, Varnell C Jr, Lazear D, VandenHeuvel K, Flores FX, Woodle ES, Hooper DK (2023). Carfilzomib-based antibody mediated rejection therapy in pediatric kidney transplant recipients. Pediatr Transplant, 27(7), e14534.
  5. Alghamdi A, Seay S, Hooper DK, Varnell CD Jr, Darland L, Mizuno T, Lazear D, Ramsey LB (2023). Tacrolimus pharmacokinetics are influenced by CYP3A5, age, and concomitant fluconazole in pediatric kidney transplant patients. Clin Transl Sci, 16(10), 1768-1778.
  6. Varnell CD Jr, Hooper DK, Mara CA, Modi AC, Rich KL (2023). The Barriers Assessment Tool-A Patient-Centered Measure of Adherence Barriers in Pediatric Kidney Transplantation. Children (Basel), 10(9).
  7. Miyagawa B, Lazear D, Hooper DK, Vinks AA, Mizuno T (2023). Model-Informed Estimation of Acutely Decreased Tacrolimus Clearance and Subsequent Dose Individualization in a Pediatric Renal Transplant Patient With Posterior Reversible Encephalopathy Syndrome. Ther Drug Monit, 45(3), 376-382.
  8. Rheault MN, Amaral S, Bock M, Chambers ET, Chavers B, Ters ME, Garro R, Gbadegesin R, Govil A, Harshman L, Amer H, Hooper DK, Israni AK, Riad S, Sageshima J, Shapiro R, Seifert M, Smith J, Sung R, Thomas CP, Wang Q, Verghese PS (2023). A randomized controlled trial of preemptive rituximab to prevent recurrent focal segmental glomerulosclerosis post-kidney transplant (PRI-VENT FSGS): protocol and study design. Front Nephrol, 3, 1181076.
  9. Steinbach EJ, Barletta GM, Patel HP, Hooper DK, Garro R, Harshman LA (2023). Donor specific antibody surveillance among pediatric kidney transplant programs: A report from the improving renal outcome collaborative. Pediatr Transplant, 27(3), e14498.
  10. Varnell C Jr, Harshman LA, Liu C, Smith L, Al-Akash S, Barletta GM, Brakeman P, Chaudhuri A, Fadakar P, Galea L, Garro R, Gluck C, Kershaw DB, Matossian D, Patel HP, Peterson C, Pruette C, Ranabothu S, Rodig N, Singer P, Sebestyen VanSickle J, Weng PL, Danziger-Isakov L, Seifert ME, Hooper DK (2022). COVID-19 in pediatric kidney transplantation: a follow-up report of the Improving Renal Outcomes Collaborative. Pediatr Nephrol, 38(2), 537-547.
  11. Dani A, Price N, Thangappan K, Ryan TD, Hooper DK, Cooper DS, Lehenbauer DG, Chin C, Zafar F, Morales DLS (2022). Heart-kidney listing is better than isolated heart listing for pediatric heart transplant candidates with significant renal insufficiency. J Thorac Cardiovasc Surg, 164(6), 2019-2031.
  12. Varnell CD Jr, Rich KL, Modi AC, Hooper DK, Eckman MH (2022). A Cost-effectiveness Analysis of Adherence Promotion Strategies to Improve Rejection Rates in Adolescent Kidney Transplant Recipients. Am J Kidney Dis, 80(3), 330-340.
  13. Hooper DK, Varnell CD Jr, Rich K, Carle A, Huber J, Mostajabi F, Dahale D, Pai ALH, Goebel J, Modi AC (2021). A Medication Adherence Promotion System to Reduce Late Kidney Allograft Rejection: A Quality Improvement Study. Am J Kidney Dis, 79(3), 335-346.
  14. Kumar J, Contrepois K, Snyder M, Grimm PC, Moudgil A, Smith JM, Bobrowski AE, Verghese PS, Hooper D, Ingulli E, Lestz R, Weng P, Reason JL, Blydt-Hansen TD, Suthanthiran M, Keating B, Amaral S (2021). Design and Methods of the Validating Injury to the Renal Transplant Using Urinary Signatures (VIRTUUS) Study in Children. Transplant Direct, 7(12), e791.
  15. Maniar A, Hooper DK, Sethna CB, Singer P, Traum A, Benoit E, Kotzen E, Verghese P, Garro R, Kamel M, Ranch D, Shih W, Jain NG, Al-Akash S (2021). Re-transplantation in pediatric patients with failure of primary transplant due to recurrent focal segmental glomerulosclerosis: A pediatric nephrology research consortium study. Pediatr Transplant, 25(7), e14085.
  16. Varnell CD Jr, Rich KL, Zhang B, Carle AC, Pai ALH, Modi AC, Hooper DK (2021). Predicting acute rejection in children, adolescents, and young adults with a kidney transplant by assessing barriers to taking medication. Pediatr Nephrol, 36(8), 2453-2461.
  17. Gavigan HW, Slagle CL, Krallman KA, Poindexter BB, Hooper DK, Goldstein SL (2021). Blood transfusion rates in Baby NINJA (Nephrotoxic Injury Negated by Just-in-Time Action)-a single-center experience. Pediatr Nephrol, 36(7), 1901-1905.
  18. Hooper DK, Misurac J, Blydt-Hansen T, Chua AN (2020). Multicenter data to improve health for pediatric renal transplant recipients in North America: Complementary approaches of NAPRTCS and IROC. Pediatr Transplant, 25(1), e13891.
  19. Cheung AY, Sarnicola E, Eslani M, Wright E, Goebel J, Hooper DK, Govil A, Kurji KH, Holland EJ (2020). Clinical Outcomes of Allogeneic Ocular Surface Stem Cell Transplantation in Pediatric Patients. Cornea, 40(1), 54-60.
  20. Hanson CS, Craig JC, Logeman C, Sinha A, Dart A, Eddy AA, Guha C, Gipson DS, Bockenhauer D, Yap HK, Groothoff J, Zappitelli M, Webb NJA, Alexander SI, Furth SL, Samuel S, Neu A, Viecelli AK, Ju A, Sharma A, Au EH, Desmond H, Shen JI, Manera KE, Azukaitis K, Dunn L, Carter SA, Gutman T, Cho Y, Walker A, Francis A, Sanchez-Kazi C, Kausman J, Pearl M, Benador N, Sahney S, Tong A, SONG-Kids consensus workshops investigators (2020). Establishing core outcome domains in pediatric kidney disease: report of the Standardized Outcomes in Nephrology-Children and Adolescents (SONG-KIDS) consensus workshops. Kidney Int, 98(3), 553-565.
  21. Seifert ME, Dahale DS, Kamel M, Winterberg PD, Barletta GM, Belsha CW, Chaudhuri A, Flynn JT, Garro R, George RP, Goebel JW, Kershaw DB, Matossian D, Misurac J, Nailescu C, Nguyen CR, Pearl M, Pollack A, Pruette CS, Singer P, VanSickle JS, Verghese P, Warady BA, Warmin A, Weng PL, Wickman L, Wilson AC, Hooper DK, IMPROVING RENAL OUTCOMES COLLABORATIVE IROC (2020). The Improving Renal Outcomes Collaborative: Blood Pressure Measurement in Transplant Recipients. Pediatrics, 146(1).
  22. Wadhwani SI, Nichols M, Klosterkemper J, Cirincione R, Whitesell K, Owen D, Rengering R, Walz B, Heubi J, Hooper DK (2020). Implementing a Process to Systematically Identify and Address Poor Medication Adherence in Pediatric Liver Transplant Recipients. Pediatr Qual Saf, 5(3), e296.
  23. Chua A, Cramer C, Moudgil A, Martz K, Smith J, Blydt-Hansen T, Neu A, Dharnidharka VR, NAPRTCS investigators (2019). Kidney transplant practice patterns and outcome benchmarks over 30 years: The 2018 report of the NAPRTCS. Pediatr Transplant, 23(8), e13597.
  24. Shah L, Hooper DK, Okamura D, Wallace D, Moodalbail D, Gluck C, Koziell A, Zaritsky JJ (2019). LDL-apheresis-induced remission of focal segmental glomerulosclerosis recurrence in pediatric renal transplant recipients. Pediatr Nephrol, 34(11), 2343-2350.
  25. Alam Z, VanderBrink BA, Brewer N, Hooper D, Tiao G, Alonso M, Nathan J, DeFoor WR, Sheldon C, Reddy PP (2019). Is anuria prior to pediatric renal transplantation associated with poor allograft outcomes? Pediatr Transplant, 23(5), e13453.
  26. Taylor VA, Kirby CL, Nehus EJ, Goebel J, Hooper DK (2018). Composite Health Outcomes in Pediatric and Young Adult Kidney Transplant Recipients. J Pediatr, 204, 196-202.
  27. Hamdani G, Goebel JW, Brailey P, Portwood EA, Hooper DK, Girnita AL (2018). IGG3 anti-HLA donor-specific antibodies and graft function in pediatric kidney transplant recipients. Pediatr Transplant, 22(5), e13219.
  28. Rich KL, Modi AC, Mara C, Pai ALH, Varnell CD, Turnier L, Huber J, Hooper DK (2019). Predicting Health Care Utilization and Charges Using a Risk Score for Poor Adherence in Pediatric Kidney Transplant Recipients. Clin Pract Pediatr Psychol, 6(2), 107-116.
  29. Miller-Handley H, Paulsen G, Hooper DK, Lake M, Lazear D, Danziger-Isakov L (2018). Durability of the hepatitis B vaccination in pediatric renal transplant recipients. Clin Transplant, 32(5), e13247.
  30. Varnell CD Jr, Rich KL, Nichols M, Dahale D, Goebel JW, Pai ALH, Hooper DK, Modi AC (2017). Assessing barriers to adherence in routine clinical care for pediatric kidney transplant patients. Pediatr Transplant, 21(7).
  31. Varnell CD, Fukuda T, Kirby CL, Martin LJ, Warshaw BL, Patel HP, Chand DH, Barletta GM, Van Why SK, VanDeVoorde RG, Weaver DJ, Wilson A, Verghese PS, Vinks AA, Greenbaum LA, Goebel J, Hooper DK (2017). Mycophenolate mofetil-related leukopenia in children and young adults following kidney transplantation: Influence of genes and drugs. Pediatr Transplant, 21(7).
  32. Hamdani G, Nehus EJ, Hanevold CD, VanSickle JS, Hooper DK, Blowey D, Warady BA, Mitsnefes MM (2017). Ambulatory Blood Pressure Control in Children and Young Adults After Kidney Transplantation. Am J Hypertens, 30(10), 1039-1046.
  33. Hamdani G, Nehus EJ, Hanevold CD, Sebestyen Van Sickle J, Woroniecki R, Wenderfer SE, Hooper DK, Blowey D, Wilson A, Warady BA, Mitsnefes MM (2016). Ambulatory Blood Pressure, Left Ventricular Hypertrophy, and Allograft Function in Children and Young Adults After Kidney Transplantation. Transplantation, 101(1), 150-156.
  34. Hamdani G, Nehus EJ, Hooper DK, Mitsnefes MM (2016). Masked hypertension and allograft function in pediatric and young adults kidney transplant recipients. Pediatr Transplant, 20(8), 1026-1031.
  35. Tong A, Samuel S, Zappitelli M, Dart A, Furth S, Eddy A, Groothoff J, Webb NJ, Yap HK, Bockenhauer D, Sinha A, Alexander SI, Goldstein SL, Gipson DS, Hanson CS, Evangelidis N, Crowe S, Harris T, Hemmelgarn BR, Manns B, Gill J, Tugwell P, Van Biesen W, Wheeler DC, Winkelmayer WC, Craig JC, SONG-Kids Investigators (2016). Standardised Outcomes in Nephrology-Children and Adolescents (SONG-Kids): a protocol for establishing a core outcome set for children with chronic kidney disease. Trials, 17, 401.
  36. Nehus E, Liu C, Hooper DK, Macaluso M, Kim MO (2015). Clinical Practice of Steroid Avoidance in Pediatric Kidney Transplantation. Am J Transplant, 15(8), 2203-10.
  37. Kaddourah A, Uthup S, Madueme P, ORourke M, Hooper DK, Taylor MD, Colan SD, Jefferies JL, Rao MB, Goebel J (2015). Prevalence and predictors of aortic dilation as a novel cardiovascular complication in children with end-stage renal disease. Clin Nephrol, 83(5), 262-71.
  38. Dong M, Fukuda T, Cox S, de Vries MT, Hooper DK, Goebel J, Vinks AA (2013). Population pharmacokinetic-pharmacodynamic modelling of mycophenolic acid in paediatric renal transplant recipients in the early post-transplant period. Br J Clin Pharmacol, 78(5), 1102-12.
  39. Hooper DK, Williams JC, Carle AC, Amaral S, Chand DH, Ferris ME, Patel HP, Licht C, Barletta GM, Zitterman V, Mitsnefes M, Patel UD (2013). The quality of cardiovascular disease care for adolescents with kidney disease: a Midwest Pediatric Nephrology Consortium study. Pediatr Nephrol, 28(6), 939-49.
  40. Hooper DK, Kirby CL, Margolis PA, Goebel J (2013). Reliable individualized monitoring improves cholesterol control in kidney transplant recipients. Pediatrics, 131(4), e1271-9.
  41. Hooper DK, Fukuda T, Gardiner R, Logan B, Roy-Chaudhury A, Kirby CL, Vinks AA, Goebel J (2012). Risk of tacrolimus toxicity in CYP3A5 nonexpressors treated with intravenous nicardipine after kidney transplantation. Transplantation, 93(8), 806-12.
  42. Saldaa SN, Hooper DK, Froehlich TE, Campbell KM, Prows CA, Sadhasivam S, Nick TG, Seid M, Vinks AA, Glauser TA (2011). Characteristics of successful recruitment in prospective pediatric pharmacogenetic studies. Clin Ther, 33(12), 2072-81.
  43. Hooper DK, Carle AC, Schuchter J, Goebel J (2010). Interaction between tacrolimus and intravenous nicardipine in the treatment of post-kidney transplant hypertension at pediatric hospitals. Pediatr Transplant, 15(1), 88-95.
  44. Hooper DK, Hawkins JA, Fuller TC, Profaizer T, Shaddy RE (2004). Panel-reactive antibodies late after allograft implantation in children. Ann Thorac Surg, 79(2), 641-4; discussion 645.
  45. Raetz EA, Kim MK, Moos P, Carlson M, Bruggers C, Hooper DK, Foot L, Liu T, Seeger R, Carroll WL (2003). Identification of genes that are regulated transcriptionally by Myc in childhood tumors. Cancer, 98(4), 841-53.
  46. Lirazan MB, Hooper D, Corpuz GP, Ramilo CA, Bandyopadhyay P, Cruz LJ, Olivera BM (2000). The spasmodic peptide defines a new conotoxin superfamily. Biochemistry, 39(7), 1583-8.
  47. Walker CS, Steel D, Jacobsen RB, Lirazan MB, Cruz LJ, Hooper D, Shetty R, DelaCruz RC, Nielsen JS, Zhou LM, Bandyopadhyay P, Craig AG, Olivera BM (1999). The T-superfamily of conotoxins. J Biol Chem, 274(43), 30664-71.
  48. Olivera BM, Walker C, Cartier GE, Hooper D, Santos AD, Schoenfeld R, Shetty R, Watkins M, Bandyopadhyay P, Hillyard DR (1999). Speciation of cone snails and interspecific hyperdivergence of their venom peptides. Potential evolutionary significance of introns. Ann N Y Acad Sci, 870, 223-37.

Review

  1. George RP, Feldman AG, McQueen M, Krise-Confair C, Smyth L, Lorts A, Peng DM, Mazariegos GV, Hooper DK (2024). Pediatric Learning Health Networks in Solid Organ Transplantation-Engaging all Stakeholders to Achieve Health for Children Who Require Transplantation. [Review]. Pediatr Transplant, 28(7), e14862.
  2. Varnell CD Jr, Margolis P, Goebel J, Hooper DK (2022). The learning health system for pediatric nephrology: building better systems to improve health. [Review]. Pediatr Nephrol, 38(1), 35-46.
  3. Kelly B, Squires JE, Feingold B, Hooper DK, Mazariegos GV (2018). Quality initiatives in pediatric transplantation. [Review]. Curr Opin Organ Transplant, 24(1), 64-72.
  4. Hooper DK, Mitsnefes M (2015). A systems-based approach to managing blood pressure in children following kidney transplantation. [Review]. Pediatr Nephrol, 31(10), 1593-604.
  5. Kaplan HC, Brady PW, Dritz MC, Hooper DK, Linam WM, Froehle CM, Margolis P (2010). The influence of context on quality improvement success in health care: a systematic review of the literature. [Review]. Milbank Q, 88(4), 500-59.

Case Report

  1. Hite CM, Varnell CD, VandenHeuvel KA, Woodle ES, Barrett WL, Hooper DK (2025). Local Graft Irradiation to Treat Refractory Acute Rejection in Pediatric and Young Adult Kidney Transplant Patients: A Case Series and Review of the Literature. Pediatr Transplant, 29(6), e70132.
  2. Couser SK, Claes DJ, Huesman S, Hooper DK (2024). Treatment of a patient with inoperable tumoral calcinosis associated with end stage kidney disease: A case report. Hemodial Int, 29(1), 116-120.
  3. Cody E, Hooper DK (2021). Kidney transplantation in pediatric patients with rheumatologic disorders. Curr Opin Pediatr, 34(2), 234-240.
  4. Stone HK, VandenHeuvel K, Bondoc A, Flores FX, Hooper DK, Varnell CD Jr (2021). Primary hyperoxaluria diagnosed after kidney transplant: A review of the literature and case report of aggressive renal replacement therapy and lumasiran to prevent allograft loss. Am J Transplant, 21(12), 4061-4067.
  5. Schaefer BA, Johnson TS, Hooper DK, Nathan JD, Geller JI (2017). TFE3-positive renal cell carcinoma occurring in three children with dysfunctional kidneys on immunosuppression. Pediatr Transplant, 21(4).