Derek Blankenship

Biostatistics Lead

Derek Blankenship

Derek Blankenship, Ph.D., M.B.A., is a seasoned biostatistician and epidemiologist with extensive experience conducting experimental, clinical, and healthcare analyses for US research institutes, as well as provider and payer entities.  He currently serves as the Sr. Director and Global Biostatistics Lead for the Renal Research Institute’s Real World Evidence Generation team.  Given his background, he supports a wide variety of projects focused on improving patients’ care and clinical outcomes with an emphasis on observational program evaluations. 

Dr. Blankenship holds an academic position as a graduate faculty affiliate member with Stephen F. Austin State University where he partners with faculty and student interns to identify or develop best practices aimed at improving every aspect of the program evaluation process.    He has also held an adjunct professorship at Baylor University and a courtesy appointment at Southern Methodist University.

Dr. Blankenship’s career began at the University of Oklahoma Health Science Center, where he worked as a biostatistician and statistical programmer.  He later joined the Baylor Health Care System, advancing to Director of Biostatistics, and managing a team supporting numerous clinical research, experimental, and observational studies.  Prior to joining Fresenius Medical Care and the RRI, he was the Sr. Director of Analytics Consulting for Health Care Service Corporation where he led a team focused on evaluating value-based care programs.

Dr. Blankenship's expertise spans biostatistics, epidemiology, research methodology, and advanced statistical techniques.  He has contributed analyses to over 30 peer-reviewed publications, covering topics for ESRD patients, COVID-19 vaccination impacts, and biomarker discovery in various diseases. His has also led significant research projects funded by the NIH, American Cancer Society, and other funding agencies.

Dr. Blankenship holds a Ph.D. and M.S. in Biostatistics from the University of Oklahoma Health Science Center and an M.B.A. from the Sloan School of Management at MIT. 

Recent Articles by Derek Blankenship

  • Kidney medicine
    July 17, 2026
    Real-world Evidence for Improvements in Inflammation and Anemia Biomarkers After the Initiation of GLP-1RA in Patients Receiving Hemodialysis
    Suman Lama, Sheetal Chaudhuri, Derek Blankenship, Andrea Nandorine Ban, Len Usvyat, Roberto Pecoits-Filho, Benjamin E Hippen
    RESULTSCompared with matched controls, GLP-1RA users demonstrated reductions in systemic inflammation, characterized by lower neutrophil-to-lymphocyte ratio (3.97 vs 4.64, with a mean difference of -0.67 [95% CI, -0.89 to -0.45]) and white blood cell counts at 12 months, alongside greater improvements in serum albumin level (3.92 vs 3.86 g/dL, with a mean difference of 0.06 [95% CI, 0.04-0.08]). Although hemoglobin levels remained comparable between groups (10.9 vs 10.84 g/dL, with a mean difference of 0.06 [95% CI, -0.004 to 0.12]), GLP-1RA users had lower cumulative ESA exposure (1,881.9 vs 2,005.8 μg; mean difference of -123.9 μg, [95% CI, -201.7 to -46.1] μg) and a modestly reduced rate of erythropoietin resistance index compared with nonusers. Additionally, iron stores (ferritin level and transferrin saturation value) were consistently higher in the GLP-1RA group.Patients receiving hemodialysis often experience inflammation and anemia, which can make treatment more difficult and affect outcomes. Glucagon-like peptide-1 receptor agonists (GLP-1RAs), commonly used for diabetes and weight management, may also have anti-inflammatory effects. We studied whether starting GLP-1RA therapy in patients on hemodialysis was associated with changes in markers of inflammation, nutrition, and anemia over 1 year, compared with similar patients not receiving these medications. We found that patients using GLP-1RAs showed consistent improvements in inflammatory markers and indicators of iron use, along with lower requirements for anemia medications, while maintaining similar hemoglobin levels. These findings suggest that GLP-1RAs may have benefits beyond glucose control, though further studies are needed to confirm their clinical impact.RATIONALE & OBJECTIVEGlucagon-like peptide-1 receptor agonists (GLP-1RAs) are increasingly used for diabetes and obesity but have not been studied in patients with kidney failure with replacement therapy receiving hemodialysis in prospective trials. GLP-1RAs may influence inflammatory pathways relevant to anemia, although their effects in hemodialysis patients remain unclear.CONCLUSIONSIn patients receiving maintenance hemodialysis, GLP-1RA agonist use was associated with reductions in inflammatory markers and lower ESA requirements; however, as an observational study, causality cannot be inferred. These findings suggest GLP-1RAs may have potential benefits in managing inflammation and inflammation-mediated anemia in kidney failure.STUDY DESIGNRetrospective matched cohort study.ANALYTICAL APPROACHLinear mixed models were used to compare longitudinal trajectories between matched groups.SETTING & PARTICIPANTSData were derived from a large US dialysis provider (Fresenius Kidney Care). We identified 2,468 adult patients who initiated GLP-1RA therapy between January 1, 2023, and November 1, 2024, and matched 1:1 to nonusers using propensity scores based on demographic characteristics, comorbidities, and baseline laboratory values.OUTCOMESLongitudinal changes over 12 months in inflammatory markers (neutrophil-to-lymphocyte ratio, white blood cell count, and albumin level) and anemia parameters (hemoglobin level, ferritin level, transferrin saturation value, erythropoiesis-stimulating agent (ESA) dose, and erythropoietin resistance index).EXPOSUREInitiation of GLP-1RA therapy.

I am proud to be part of this organization, where we transform thought into action to improve patients' lives

Derek Blankenship
Biostatistics Lead