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.

Specialties

Pediatric Nephrology

Board Certification

American Board of Pediatrics (Sub: Pediatric Nephrology) National Board of Medical Examiners

Patient Rating

4.8 /5

( out of 16 reviews )

The patient rating score is an average of all responses on our patient experience survey. The rating averages scores for all questions about care from our providers. The scale on which responses are measured is 1 to 5 with 5 being the best score.

EXTERNAL SITE

Dr. Nelson was so down to earth and intelligent without being intimidating. He was very good with my special needs daughter and took his time explaining things to me and was especially patient and gentle while examining her. I feel like her health issues are in great, caring hands and I am grateful for all he and his team are doing for her.

EXTERNAL SITE

Wish he would go just a little slower and explain things a little more clearly

EXTERNAL SITE

Wish he would go just a little slower and explain things a little more clearly

Patient comments are gathered from our patient experience survey and displayed in their entirety. For the convenience of our visitors, some patient comments have been translated from their original language into English while preserving their original meaning as accurately as possible. Patients are de-identified for confidentiality and patient privacy.

Board Certification and Academic Information

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

Education history

Undergraduate	Chemistry - St. Olaf College	B.A.
Doctoral Training	Physiology - Washington University	Ph.D.
Professional Medical	Medicine - Washington University	M.D.
Internship	Pediatrics - University of Utah School of Medicine	Intern
Residency	Pediatrics - University of Utah School of Medicine	Resident
Fellowship	Pediatric Nephrology - St. Louis Children's Hospital	Fellow
Certification	Leadership Development for Physician Executives - University of Utah, Eccles School of Business	Certificate

Selected Publications

Journal Article

Verghese PS, Bobrowski A, Carter C, Dharnidharka VR, Gattineni J, Goodwin JE, Kershaw DB, Mauch TJ, Nelson R, Subtirelu M, Flynn J, Feig D, ASPN Division Head Interest Grou (2025). Pediatric Nephrology Practice in the United States: Survey of Pediatric Nephrology Division Directors. American journal of kidney diseases, 86(1), 74-83.
Barbour SJ, Coppo R, Er L, Pillebout E, Russo ML, Alpers CE, Fogo AB, Ferrario F, Jennette JC, Roberts ISD, Cook HT, Ding J, Su B, Zhong X, Fervenza FC, Zand L, Peruzzi L, Lucchetti L, Katafuchi R, Shima Y, Yoshikawa N, Ichikawa D, Suzuki Y, Murer L, Wyatt RJ, Nelson RD, Narus JH, Wenderfer S, Geetha D, Daugas E, Monteiro RC, Nakatani S, Mastrangelo A, Nuutinen M, Koskela M, Weber LT, Hackl A, Pohl M, Pecoraro C, Tsuboi N, Yokoo T, Takafumi I, Fujimoto S, Conti G, Santoro D, Materassi M, Zhang H, Shi S, Liu ZH, Tesar V, Maixnerova D, Avila-Casado C, Bajema I, Barreca A, Becker JU, Comstock JM, Cornea V, Eldin K, Hernandez LH, Hou J, Joh K, Lin M, Messias N, Muda AO, Pagni F, Diomedi-Camassei F, Tokola H, D'Armiento M, Seidl M, Rosenberg A, Sannier A, Soares MF, Wang S, Zeng C, Haas (2024). Histologic and Clinical Factors Associated with Kidney Outcomes in IgA Vasculitis Nephritis. Clinical journal of the American Society of Nephrology, 19(4), 438-451.
Liu L, Zhu L, Monteiro-Martins S, Griffin A, Vlahos LJ, Fujita M, Berrouet C, Zanoni F, Marasa M, Zhang JY, Zhou XJ, Caliskan Y, Akchurin O, Al-Akash S, Jankauskiene A, Bodria M, Chishti A, Esposito C, Esposito V, Claes D, Tesar V, Davis TK, Samsonov D, Kaminska D, Hryszko T, Zaza G, Flynn JT, Iorember F, Lugani F, Rizk D, Julian BA, Hidalgo G, Kallash M, Biancone L, Amoroso A, Bono L, Mani LY, Vogt B, Lin F, Sreedharan R, Weng P, Ranch D, Xiao N, Quiroga A, Matar RB, Rheault MN, Wenderfer S, Selewski D, Lundberg S, Silva C, Mason S, Mahan JD, Vasylyeva TL, Mucha K, Foroncewicz B, P'czek L, Florczak M, Olszewska M, Gradzi'ska A, Szczepa'ska M, Machura E, Bade'ski A, Krakowczyk H, Sikora P, Kwella N, Miklaszewska M, Dro'd¿ D, Zaniew M, Pawlaczyk K, SiniewiczLuze'czyk K, Bomback AS, Appel GB, Izzi C, Scolari F, Materna-Kiryluk A, Mizerska-Wasiak M, Berthelot L, Pillebout E, Monteiro RC, Novak J, Green TJ, Smoyer WE, Hastings MC, Wyatt RJ, Nelson R, Martin J, González-Gay MA, De Jager PL, Köttgen A, Califano A, Gharavi AG, Zhang H, Kiryluk (2024). Genome-wide studies define new genetic mechanisms of IgA vasculitis.
Stotter BR, Cody E, Gu H, Daga A, Greenbaum LA, Duong MD, Mazo A, Goilav B, Boneparth A, Kallash M, Zeid A, Seeherunvong W, Scobell RR, Alhamoud I, Carter CE, Shah S, Straatmann CE, Dixon BP, Cooper JC, Nelson RD, Levy DM, Brunner HI, Verghese PS, Wenderfer S (2023). Acute kidney injury requiring kidney replacement therapy in childhood lupus nephritis: a cohort study of the Pediatric Nephrology Research Consortium and Childhood Arthritis and Rheumatology Research Alliance. Pediatric nephrology (Berlin, Germany), 38(5), 1653-1665.
Kiryluk K, Sanchez-Rodriguez E, Zhou XJ, Zanoni F, Liu L, Mladkova N, Khan A, Marasa M, Zhang JY, Balderes O, Sanna-Cherchi S, Bomback AS, Canetta PA, Appel GB, Radhakrishnan J, Trimarchi H, Sprangers B, Cattran DC, Reich H, Pei Y, Ravani P, Galesic K, Maixnerova D, Tesar V, Stengel B, Metzger M, Canaud G, Maillard N, Berthoux F, Berthelot L, Pillebout E, Monteiro R, Nelson R, Wyatt RJ, Smoyer W, Mahan J, Samhar AA, Hidalgo G, Quiroga A, Weng P, Sreedharan R, Selewski D, Davis K, Kallash M, Vasylyeva TL, Rheault M, Chishti A, Ranch D, Wenderfer SE, Samsonov D, Claes DJ, Akchurin O, Goumenos D, Stangou M, Nagy J, Kovacs T, Fiaccadori E, Amoroso A, Barlassina C, Cusi D, Del Vecchio L, Battaglia GG, Bodria M, Boer E, Bono L, Boscutti G, Caridi G, Lugani F, Ghiggeri G, Coppo R, Peruzzi L, Esposito V, Esposito C, Feriozzi S, Polci R, Frasca G, Galliani M, Garozzo M, Mitrotti A, Gesualdo L, Granata S, Zaza G, Londrino F, Magistroni R, Pisani I, Magnano A, Marcantoni C, Messa P, Mignani R, Pani A, Ponticelli C, Roccatello D, Salvadori M, Salvi E, Santoro D, Gembillo G, Savoldi S, Spotti D, Zamboli P, Izzi C, Alberici F, Delbarba E, Florczak M, Krata N, Mucha K, P'czek L, Niemczyk S, Moszczuk B, Pa'czyk-Tomaszewska M, Mizerska-Wasiak M, Perkowska-Ptasi'ska A, B'czkowska T, Durlik M, Pawlaczyk K, Sikora P, Zaniew M, Kaminska D, Krajewska M, Kuzmiuk-Glembin I, Heleniak Z, Bullo-Piontecka B, Liberek T, D'bska-Slizien A, Hryszko T, Materna-Kiryluk A, Miklaszewska M, Szczepa'ska M, Dyga K, Machura E, Siniewicz-Luze'czyk K, Pawlak-Bratkowska M, Tkaczyk M, Runowski D, Kwella N, Dro'd¿ D, Habura I, Kronenberg F, Prikhodina L, van Heel D, Fontaine B, Cotsapas C, Wijmenga C, Franke A, Annese V, Gregersen PK, Parameswaran S, Weirauch M, Kottyan L, Harley JB, Suzuki H, Narita I, Goto S, Lee H, Kim DK, Kim YS, Park JH, Cho B, Choi M, Van Wijk A, Huerta A, Ars E, Ballarin J, Lundberg S, Vogt B, Mani LY, Caliskan Y, Barratt J, Abeygunaratne T, Kalra PA, Gale DP, Panzer U, Rauen T, Floege J, Schlosser P, Ekici AB, Eckardt KU, Chen N, Xie J, Lifton RP, Loos RJF, Kenny EE, Ionita-Laza I, Köttgen A, Julian BA, Novak J, Scolari F, Zhang H, Gharavi A (2023). Genome-wide association analyses define pathogenic signaling pathways and prioritize drug targets for IgA nephropathy. Nature genetics, 55(7), 1091-1105.
Greenbaum LA, Jeck N, Klaus G, Fila M, Stoica C, Fathallah-Shaykh S, Paredes A, Wickman L, Nelson R, Swinford RD, Abitbol CL, Balgradean M, Jankauskiene A, Perrin A, Enoiu M, Ahn S (2021). Safety and efficacy of sucroferric oxyhydroxide in pediatric patients with chronic kidney disease. Pediatric nephrology (Berlin, Germany), 36(5), 1233-1244.
Nailescu C, Nelson RD, Verghese PS, Twombley KE, Chishti AS, Mills M, Mahan JD, Slaven JE, Shew M (2020). Human Papillomavirus Vaccination in Male and Female Adolescents Before and After Kidney Transplantation: A Pediatric Nephrology Research Consortium Study. Frontiers in pediatrics, 8, 46.
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 A (2019). Whole Transcriptome Analysis of Renal Intercalated Cells Predicts Lipopolysaccharide Mediated Inhibition of Retinoid X Receptor alpha Function. Scientific reports, 9(1), 545.
Saxena V, Hains DS, Ketz J, Chanley M, Spencer JD, Becknell B, Pierce KR, Nelson RD, Purkerson JM, Schwartz GJ, Schwaderer A (2018). Cell-specific qRT-PCR of renal epithelial cells reveals a novel innate immune signature in murine collecting duct. American journal of physiology. Renal physiology, 315(4), F812-F823.
Poulsen SB, Praetorius J, Damkier HH, Miller L, Nelson RD, Hummler E, Christensen B (2016). Reducing ¿ENaC expression in the kidney connecting tubule induces pseudohypoaldosteronism type 1 symptoms during K+ loading. American journal of physiology. Renal physiology, 310(4), F300-10.
Elizabeth Parsons C, Nelson R, Book LS, Kyle Jensen (2014). Renal replacement therapy in infants and children with hepatorenal syndrome awaiting liver transplantation: a case-control study. Liver transplantation, 20(12), 1468-74.
Miller RL, Zhang P, Chen T, Rohrwasser A, Nelson R (2006). Automated method for the isolation of collecting ducts. American journal of physiology. Renal physiology, 291(1), F236-45.
Kishore BK, Krane CM, Miller RL, Shi H, Zhang P, Hemmert A, Sun R, Nelson R (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. American journal of physiology. Renal physiology, 288(6), F1164-72.

Review

McKnite AM, Green DJ, Nelson R, Brewer SC, Watt K (2024). Medication patterns and dosing guidance in pediatric patients supported with intermittent hemodialysis or continuous kidney replacement therapy. Pediatric nephrology (Berlin, Germany), 39(5), 1521-1532.
Hastings MC, Rizk DV, Kiryluk K, Nelson R, Zahr RS, Novak J, Wyatt R (2022). IgA vasculitis with nephritis: update of pathogenesis with clinical implications. Pediatric nephrology (Berlin, Germany), 37(4), 719-733.

Other

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 A (2020). Publisher Correction: Whole Transcriptome Analysis of Renal Intercalated Cells Predicts Lipopolysaccharide Mediated Inhibition of Retinoid X Receptor alpha Function. Scientific reports, 10(1), 5090.