Raoul D. Nelson
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Raoul D. Nelson, MD, PhD

Languages spoken: English

Clinical Locations

Eccles Primary Children's Outpatient Services

Salt Lake City
801-213-3599

University of Utah Hospital

Salt Lake City
801-213-3599

  • 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

    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.

    Board Certification and Academic Information

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

    Education history

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

    Selected Publications

    Journal Article

    1. 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, DArmiento M, Seidl M, Rosenberg A, Sannier A, Soares MF, Wang S, Zeng C, Haas M (2024). Histologic and Clinical Factors Associated with Kidney Outcomes in IgA Vasculitis Nephritis. Clin J Am Soc Nephrol. (Read full article)
    2. 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, Pczek L, Niemczyk S, Moszczuk B, Paczyk-Tomaszewska M, Mizerska-Wasiak M, Perkowska-Ptasiska A, Bczkowska T, Durlik M, Pawlaczyk K, Sikora P, Zaniew M, Kaminska D, Krajewska M, Kuzmiuk-Glembin I, Heleniak Z, Bullo-Piontecka B, Liberek T, Dbska-Slizien A, Hryszko T, Materna-Kiryluk A, Miklaszewska M, Szczepaska M, Dyga K, Machura E, Siniewicz-Luzeczyk K, Pawlak-Bratkowska M, Tkaczyk M, Runowski D, Kwella N, Drod 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, Kttgen A, Julian BA, Novak J, Scolari F, Zhang H, Gharavi AG (2023). Genome-wide association analyses define pathogenic signaling pathways and prioritize drug targets for IgA nephropathy. Nat Genet, 55(7), 1091-1105. (Read full article)
    3. 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 SE (2022). 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. Pediatr Nephrol, 38(5), 1653-1665. (Read full article)
    4. 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 SY (2020). Safety and efficacy of sucroferric oxyhydroxide in pediatric patients with chronic kidney disease. Pediatr Nephrol, 36(5), 1233-1244. (Read full article)
    5. Nailescu C, Nelson RD, Verghese PS, Twombley KE, Chishti AS, Mills M, Mahan JD, Slaven JE, Shew ML (2020). Human Papillomavirus Vaccination in Male and Female Adolescents Before and After Kidney Transplantation: A Pediatric Nephrology Research Consortium Study. Front Pediatr, 8, 46. (Read full article)
    6. 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. (Read full article)
    7. 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. (Read full article)
    8. 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. (Read full article)
    9. 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. (Read full article)
    10. 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. (Read full article)
    11. 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. (Read full article)

    Review

    1. McKnite AM, Green DJ, Nelson R, Brewer SC, Watt KM (2023). Medication patterns and dosing guidance in pediatric patients supported with intermittent hemodialysis or continuous kidney replacement therapy. [Review]. Pediatr Nephrol, 39(5), 1521-1532. (Read full article)
    2. Hastings MC, Rizk DV, Kiryluk K, Nelson R, Zahr RS, Novak J, Wyatt RJ (2021). IgA vasculitis with nephritis: update of pathogenesis with clinical implications. [Review]. Pediatr Nephrol, 37(4), 719-733. (Read full article)

    Other

    1. 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 (2020). Publisher Correction: Whole Transcriptome Analysis of Renal Intercalated Cells Predicts Lipopolysaccharide Mediated Inhibition of Retinoid X Receptor alpha Function. Sci Rep (10(1), p. 5090). England. (Read full article)

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