Fontiers in Kidney Medicine and Biointelligence

Aging, end-of-life planning, and depression are topics many people avoid, but for patients living with kidney disease, these realities are part of everyday life. In this episode of Frontiers in Kidney Medicine and Biointelligence, host Len Usvyat speaks with Felicia Speed, PhD, LMSW, Vice President of Social Work Services at Fresenius Medical Care, about the emotional and psychological challenges patients face as their health declines.
With more than 26 years of experience in nephrology social work, Felicia discusses: 

• How grief differs from depression, and why the distinction matters 
• What aging patients fear most — and what gives them meaning 
• The emotional weight carried by caregivers 
• How social workers help patients reimagine their future 
• Why listening is often more powerful than any intervention 
• The importance of capturing stories, legacy, and identity at end of life 
• The need for research that centers patient narratives 

She also shares moving patient stories that shed light on resilience, legacy, and the human connections formed in dialysis facilities.
If you work in kidney care, or care for someone navigating chronic illnesses, this conversation offers a compassionate and deeply insightful perspective.

In this episode of Frontiers in Kidney Medicine and BioIntelligence, Len Usvyat, Head of Clinical Advanced Analytics at the Renal Research Institute, speaks with Ingrid Adelsberger, a National Board-Certified Health and Wellness Coach who has lived with multiple sclerosis for more than 15 years. 

Together, they explore the intersection of health coaching, exercise, and nutrition—and how these approaches can empower people with chronic conditions, including those with chronic kidney disease, to take active roles in their health. 

Topics discussed: 
• What health coaching really is—and how it differs from therapy or social work 
• How small lifestyle changes lead to lasting improvements 
• Nutrition and cultural context in kidney care 
• Group coaching and the role of community support 
• Technology, wearables, and AI in behavior change

Who truly deserves credit for a scientific publication? How can fairness and transparency in authorship strengthen research integrity?

In this episode of Frontiers in Kidney Medicine & BioIntelligence, Dr. Len Usvyat talks with Dr. Lisa Rasmussen, Professor of Philosophy at UNC Charlotte and Editor-in-Chief of Accountability in Research. Together, they explore:

• Why authorship remains the “currency” of academic success
• How lack of universal standards fuels conflict
• The rise of “gift” and “ghost” authorship
• How AI is reshaping accountability in science
• Best practices for transparency and shared responsibility

Welcome to the new season of Frontiers in Kidney Medicine and Biointelligence!
In our season-opening episode, Len Usvyat speaks with Dr. Navdeep Tangri, MD, PhD, FRCPC, Professor of Medicine at the University of Manitoba, whose pioneering work transformed chronic kidney disease care through the development of the Kidney Failure Risk Equation (KFRE).
Dr. Tangri shares his journey from early neural network experiments to creating one of the most widely implemented risk equations in nephrology. The conversation spans global validation of predictive models, the importance of guidelines and publishing, and the role of AI as a supporting tool—not a replacement—for clinicians.

Key topics include:
• The creation and worldwide adoption of the KFRE
• Overcoming barriers to data sharing and model validation
• Why local calibration strengthens prediction models
• How clinicians and technologists can work together to ensure AI augments, not replaces, medical expertise

Dr. Tangri emphasizes that nephrology must remain at the center, with AI serving as a powerful but secondary tool: “Nephrology first, AI second.”

In this special World Kidney Day episode of Frontiers in Kidney Medicine & Biology, we explore the life-changing power of kidney donation. Dr. Maria E. Ferris, a pediatric nephrologist and kidney donor, shares her personal story alongside her son, Ted Ferris, a three-time kidney transplant recipient, and Chris Ivimey, an altruistic kidney donor.

Join us as we discuss the urgent need for living donors, the impact of transplantation on families, and the power of giving the Gift of Life.

In this special episode of Frontiers in Kidney Medicine and Biology, Dr. Peter Kotanko reflects on his impactful leadership at the Renal Research Institute as he transitions the reins to Dr. Len Usvyat, Senior Vice President, Head of Renal Research Institute Advanced Analytics, Research & Insights. Together, they discuss:

• The evolution of data analytics and its impact on kidney care
• AI advancements and their future role in healthcare
• Building global collaborations and fostering diverse, innovative teams

Join us for a thought-provoking conversation celebrating the past, present, and future of renal research.

In this episode of Frontiers in Kidney Medicine and Biology, we have the honor of hosting Dr. Kirk Campbell, a renowned nephrologist from Mount Sinai Hospital and the newly elected President-Elect of the National Kidney Foundation. Dr. Campbell and our host, Dr. Peter Kotanko, discuss groundbreaking advancements in kidney care, including the role of AI, home diagnostics, and the impact of social determinants on kidney health. They also explore the challenges facing the nephrology workforce and the importance of early detection in preventing kidney disease progression. Tune in to this insightful conversation and stay ahead of the curve in kidney medicine!

In this episode of Frontiers in Kidney Medicine and Biology, we feature Dr. Ana Catalina Alvarez Elias and Dr. Rasha Hussein, research scientists at RRI and members of the International Society of Nephrology’s Emerging Leaders Program 2024 cohort. Dr. Alvarez Elias shares her journey from Mexico to Canada and her passion for pediatric kidney care, while Dr. Hussein recounts her experiences in Sudan during civil unrest and her focus on improving epidemiology and registries. Both guests emphasize the importance of global collaboration and networking to advance kidney health initiatives. Join us to hear their inspiring stories and their vision for the future of nephrology. 

The Renal Research Institute is excited to be back with #Frontiers in Kidney Medicine and Biology, where Dr. Peter Kotanko, Head of Biomedical Evidence Generation, and the Renal Research Institute, discusses and shares the latest knowledge and advances in kidney research. In this episode, Dr. Edwina Brown, Consultant Nephrologist and President of the International Society of Peritoneal Dialysis (ISPD) sits down with Dr. Kotanko to talk about her goals as president of the ISPD and her plans to make peritoneal dialysis more accessible to low- and middle- income countries.

This episode discusses the opportunities that the electrocardiogram (ECG) offers for the detection of electrolyte imbalances. The advantages of the ECG and the current state of the art of manual and automatic algorithms are summarized. A particular field of interest is the use of machine learning methods for an automatic classification or regression of electrolyte imbalances and concentrations, respectively.

This episode we discuss the intersection between kidney medicine and the United Nations Sustainable Development Goals.

In this session join Drs. Peter Kotanko and Bernard Canaud discuss the suggestion that monthly monitoring of SCI, as part of routine baseline dialysis patient monitoring, will offer a new and cost-effective tool to detect earlier nutritional status deterioration. SCI used as a surrogate marker of active MM would facilitate detection of sarcopenia trends, offering opportunities to implement interventions that might delay, and halt or even reverse such deleterious dynamics. SCI can be easily integrated and used as a first-line tool in complement to visceral proteins (i.e., albumin) to monitor muscle mass changes in clinical routine.

This session discusses my research interests in general and particularly a piece of research that aimed to describe the time of onset of intradialytic hypotension during hemodialysis sessions.