ROCKVILLE, Md. (April 21, 2026) — Today, the American Kidney Fund (AKF) announced Dr. Sophie Claudel and Dr. Liz Kiernan as the 2026 recipients of research grants awarded through AKF’s prestigious Clinical Scientist in Nephrology (CSN) Program, which funds early-career nephrologists dedicated to improving diagnosis, treatment and outcomes for people living with chronic kidney disease (CKD).
Dr. Claudel, a nephrology fellow at Boston Medical Center and clinical instructor at Boston University Chobanian & Avedisian School of Medicine, is the recipient of the Akebia CSN Fellowship. Dr. Claudel is examining the relationship between CKD and cardiovascular disease to help provide insight into new treatments to stop disease progression. Dr. Kiernan, a clinical research fellow in nephrology at the University of Washington School of Medicine who studies how endothelial cells impact kidney disease, aims to identify molecular markers of cell injury using single-cell sequencing, which could improve non-invasive diagnostics and support the development of targeted therapies.
Dr. Claudel and Dr. Kiernan join a list of distinguished nephrology researchers who received support early in their careers through the CSN program, which was launched in 1989. Dr. Claudel and Dr. Kiernan’s fellowships are generously funded by grants from Akebia Therapeutics and the HFO Foundation, with additional support from individual donors whose generosity helps advance critical research.
Some of the brightest scholars in nephrology have started their academic research careers with support from AKF, including many who are now leaders in the field and mentors to new generations of scientists studying kidney disease.
“The American Kidney Fund’s Clinical Scientist in Nephrology Program represents a critical investment into the future of kidney care,” said LaVarne A. Burton, AKF President and CEO. “We are proud to play a key role in advancing Dr. Claudel and Dr. Kiernan’s research studies; their research has strong potential to result in vital interventions in kidney and heart disease as well as improved diagnostics and personalized treatments for those with diabetes or acute kidney injury.”
“Akebia is honored to continue our long-standing support of AKF’s Clinical Scientist in Nephrology Program, which helps foster the next generation of leadership in academic nephrology,” said John P. Butler, Chief Executive Officer of Akebia Therapeutics, Inc. “We look forward to the innovations the fellows will explore to advance our shared purpose to better the lives of people impacted by kidney disease.”
"With multiple family members affected by kidney disease, we have a firsthand account of what living with this disease is like,” said Nicole Abdo-Paek, executive director of the HFO Foundation. “Research moves the world to finding breakthroughs that allow all to live life to their fullest potential."
Dr. Claudel’s research will study genes and proteins to learn how early kidney damage—shown by protein in the urine—can lead to blood vessel damage. By understanding these connections, she hopes to find new ways to protect kidney and heart health before lasting damage occurs.
“Kidney and heart disease are deeply interconnected, yet the molecular pathways linking them remain poorly understood, especially in the earliest stages, when injury is clinically silent and opportunities for intervention are most easily missed,” said Dr. Claudel. “My research focuses on the proteins and pathways that connect albuminuria and vascular injury at these critical early timepoints, with the goal of identifying new targets for detection and treatment before irreversible damage occurs. The American Kidney Fund's mission to fight kidney disease and help people live healthier lives is exactly what drives this work: if we can intervene earlier, we can change outcomes for the millions of patients living with, or at risk for, kidney and cardiovascular disease. I am deeply grateful for the opportunity to pursue this science through the Clinical Scientist in Nephrology Fellowship.”
In her research, Dr. Kiernan will investigate endothelial cell signaling using kidney biopsies from patients with diabetes and acute kidney injury. The goal of her research is to identify specific molecular patterns that indicate endothelial injury and to understand how these patterns are associated with disease manifestation and clinical outcomes. Dr. Kiernan hopes to apply these findings to improve non-invasive assessment of disease and to guide development of targeted therapies that will benefit patients as individuals.
"I chose to become a nephrologist to help patients who suffer from a disease that is often recognized late in its course with life-altering implications,” said Dr. Kiernan. “Modern scientific research methods have equipped us with tools to enable earlier disease identification and to reveal mechanisms that drive disease progression. I believe nephrology stands at the precipice of transformative advancements that will improve the lives of our patients. I am honored to receive the support of the American Kidney Fund and to join a community of scientists devoted to this mission."
Dr. Claudel is a nephrology fellow at Boston Medical Center and Boston University Chobanian & Avedisian School of Medicine. She earned her MD from the Wake Forest University School of Medicine and completed a clinical research fellowship at the National Institutes of Health. She completed her internal medicine residency and chief year at Boston Medical Center.
Dr. Kiernan is a clinical research fellow in nephrology at the University of Washington School of Medicine in Seattle. She earned her Bachelor of Science in biochemistry at the Pennsylvania State University and her medical degree at Temple University School of Medicine. She then completed her residency in internal medicine at The Johns Hopkins Hospital and served as an assistant chief of service in 2024-25.
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About the American Kidney Fund
The American Kidney Fund (AKF) fights kidney disease on all fronts as the nonprofit with the greatest direct impact on people with kidney disease. AKF works on behalf of the 1 in 7 American adults living with kidney disease, and the millions more at risk, with an unmatched scope of programs that support people wherever they are in their fight against kidney disease—from prevention through post-transplant living. AKF fights for kidney health for all through programs that address early detection, disease management, financial assistance, clinical research, innovation and advocacy. AKF is one of the nation’s top-rated nonprofits, investing 96 cents of every donated dollar in programs, and it has received 24 consecutive 4-star ratings from Charity Navigator as well as the Platinum Seal of Transparency from Candid, formerly known as GuideStar.
For more information, please visit KidneyFund.org , or connect with AKF on Facebook , Bluesky , X , Instagram and LinkedIn .