BACK IN PERSON, BACK IN ACTION
It has been a truly rewarding two years at the helm of ISN activities. Starting my term amidst an ever-changing and challenging COVID-19 pandemic, I marveled at everything ISN members, volunteer leaders, collective and affiliated societies, corporate supporters, and staff were able to achieve. Staying focused on science, innovation and our commitment to global inclusion, the ISN continued to succeed and excel in its mission in 2021-2022.
After our first fully virtual WCN’21 congress and ISN participation in and support of 20 national and regional hybrid meetings throughout 2021, it was a joy to welcome delegates onsite and virtually at WCN’22 in Malaysia. In-person events continued to gain momentum throughout 2022, with two well-attended Frontiers meetings on complement-mediated kidney diseases and infections and the kidney, and several ISN Educational Ambassador visits and Continuous Medical Education supported meetings.
In October 2022, a successful international consensus meeting (TRAnslational Nephrology Science FOR new Medications) took place in Brussels, Belgium. This inaugural meeting gathered patients, clinical and academic researchers, regulators, and industry partners to establish the research landscape and reach a consensus on guidance for optimal animal study designs to drive the development of new kidney drugs.
We look forward to sharing guidance on this with you in years to come.
In a time where inequities in the world’s access to healthcare and education have been amplified, the ISN has doubled down on its commitment to global inclusion. The ISN extended accessibility for all members by adapting membership fees according to the economic context of each region; we look forward to welcoming an increasingly diverse, engaged and global membership.
Our commitment to accessible content for all has also led to a newly upgraded online educational platform, the ISN Academy, which includes countless courses and webinars, and content from past ISN events available to ISN members to rewatch or discover for the first time.
As we kidney health professionals know, the ongoing pandemic has had a devastating physical, mental and economic impact on our kidney patients. They are particularly at risk for more severe outcomes and higher mortality rates than the general population. Our response has been focused and strong, maximizing the ISN’s role as a non-state actor in official relations with the WHO to advocate for policies that prioritize the interests of kidney patients. We also launched the ISN Patient Liaison Advisory Group at WCN’22, featuring an extraordinary group of patients representing all ten ISN regions.
Addressing inclusivity today means building capacity in our diverse young leaders of tomorrow. The Emerging Leaders Program (ELP) was launched in 2021. The first ISN ELP cohort completed an impressive year with a publication on accessing essential medicines for people with chronic kidney disease in lower-income countries. Our second 2022 ELP cohort’s work on climate change and kidney health has already produced an infographic and article on green nephrology. The program’s impact goes far beyond scientific publications, as reported here.
The future indeed looks bright, when we look toward younger generations of kidney care
professionals working to secure a more sustainable future for patients and colleagues through intelligent, collaborative leadership strategies with a “green nephrology” perspective. The 2022 launch of the ISN Young Nephrologists Network is aimed to empower and amplify younger members’ involvement with the ISN and offers an additional platform for connection within the international kidney care community.
Our official journals, Kidney International and KI Reports keep going from strength to strength. Not only are they attracting basic and clinical science of the highest quality, but their continued focus on global nephrology is a strong driver of the ISN’s vision.
Despite current global challenges, the ISN mission and global kidney community provide a beacon of hope. New global and collaborative efforts, alongside ongoing ISN initiatives, testify to the countless ways we can contribute to advancing global kidney care when we work together. It has been an honor to lead, learn and work alongside the ISN community these past two years. I thank all ISN members and volunteer leaders for their tireless dedication in 2022 and look forward with confidence to the ISN’s continued success.
Agnes B. Fogo
ISN President 2021-2022
OUR MISSION
The International Society of Nephrology (ISN) is a global professional association dedicated to advancing kidney health worldwide since 1960 through education, grants, research, and advocacy.
ADVANCING KIDNEY HEALTH WORLDWIDE. TOGETHER.
WE DO THIS FOR ALL OUR
STAKEHOLDERS BY:
OUR COMMUNITY
We’re constantly inspired by our community of tens of thousands of kidney health professionals. They’re the reason we’re able to advance kidney health worldwide for 60 years and counting.
A DIVERSE COMMUNITY
ISN Membership has diversified even more in the past two years.
Increased members from North and East Asia, Oceania and SouthEast Asia, the Middle East and Africa.
ISN MEMBER ORIGINS 2019
ISN MEMBER ORIGINS 2022
MEMBERSHIP MORE ACCESSIBLE TO ALL
Thanks to its efforts to adapt ISN membership fees to the different economies around the world, ISN Membership has increased from those living in lower-income countries.
INCOME CATEGORY 2019
INCOME CATEGORY 2022
COMMUNITY HIGHLIGHTS
OUR MEMBERS:
NINGNING WANG, CHINA
“Becoming an ISN Member gave me access to a grant from the ISN Clinical Research Program. The grant helped me study how CKD5 patients displayed a non-dipping pattern of heart rate that could predict their mortality. This work won 1st prize of ISN Clinical Research Program in 2019 and has been published in Endocrine Practice on Feb 18, 2021. The ISN Mentorship program also broadened my vision under the guidance from Professor Marcello Tonelli. Hope my work can link clinicians, researchers, decision-makers, patients and their relatives to improve the prevention and control of kidney disease.”
UDANA RATNAPALA, SRI LANKA
“Thanks to my ISN membership, I was blessed to gain knowledge and skills through many ISN programs like fellowship in complex transplants, courses in Clinical Nephro-pathology and Scientific Writing, and grant to Asia Pacific Conference in Nephrology. These inspired me to initiate both live and deceased donor kidney transplants in my rural centre of Badulla. So far, with my devoted team we have performed 20 successful kidney transplants.”
JUDITH CAROLINE AUJO, UGANDA
“Becoming an ISN member allowed me to take part in an ISN Fellowship which gave me knowledge, clinical skills, experience by working with renowned nephrologists and confidence to practice pediatric nephrology.
I now make better clinical decisions for our patients. It has shaped my career path with enhanced passion and focus. I am now the head of pediatric nephrology at Mulago hospital. I am most proud of the fact that am now able to offer Acute Peritoneal dialysis for young children with improvised supplies.”
AHMED AKL, EGYPT
“As an ISN member, I was able to join the Educational Ambassadors Program. I participated in five projects conducted in Egypt and one project conducted in Sudan. We had the pleasure to train more than 500 nephrologists in Egypt and 150 in Sudan. COVID-19 also introduced more virtual teaching, which actually opened new opportunities to share knowledge from all over the world to young nephrologists at their workplace.”
DEARBHLA KELLY, IRELAND
“As an ISN member part of the Emerging Leaders Program (ELP), and an appointed ISN GKHA Fellow, I was honoured to have the opportunity to use data from the second GKHA survey to report on the availability, accessibility, affordability, and quality of ESKD (End-Stage Kidney Disease) care in Western Europe. Our study highlighted several important aspects of ESKD care in Western Europe including variability in disease burden and transplantation rates, under-utilisation of certain dialysis modalities, workforce shortages, and lack of AKI or CKD detection programs.”
OUR PATIENTS:
VERONICA MARTINEZ, MEXICO
“I was born with a single kidney and struggled with kidney issues throughout my life until receiving a transplant as an adult. By sharing my experience, I hope to improve people’s understanding of kidney health and kidney disease, and raise awareness of how preventive measures can help avoid chronic kidney problems.”
SIVA KUMAR RAGHAVAN, MALAYSIA
“I was never sick, nor had I ever been admitted to hospital until I was diagnosed with CKD in 2008. In 2012, with worsening creatinine, I began dialysis. My wife and I were the first to undergo Spousal Living Related transplant from a different blook type in 2012. However, 2 years later, I experienced an increase in creatinine and my transplant couldn’t be saved. I was back on dialysis in September 2016. Despite having to do dialysis. I began hiking and successfully climbed several mountains in Malaysia. As a patient, I am determined to live my life to the fullest by being a role model to my children and fellow dialysis patients.”
SHARING STORIES OF KIDNEY HEALTH: THE ISN COMMUNITY FILM EVENT
Since 2019, the ISN has hosted a film competition inviting its members to share stories of how people are affected by kidney disease. In the 2021 and 2022 editions of this event, over 50 stories were shared from ISN members from 30 different countries, raising awareness and stimulating conversations on kidney health issues.
“2022 ISN FILM COMMUNITY BEST FILM”
WINNER
For Some the Wait Never Ends:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ek-I655GTX0
Submitted by:
J. Meyyappan (Senior Resident, Nephrology, Lucknow, India),
N. Prasad, V. Vamsidhar, S. Sabarinath (Sanjay Gandhi Postgraduate
Institute of Medical Sciences, Nephrology, Lucknow, India)
“2022 WKD BEST FILM”
WINNER
Ilan Lavi Donates a Kidney –
And Gets a Happiness Transplant:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=zhiGgKE6P48
Submitted by:
W. Wasser (Leumit Health Care, Department of Nephrology,
Jerusalem, Israel)
“2021 ISN FILM COMMUNITY BEST FILM”
WINNER
Life Beyond the Transplant:
https://youtu.be/cbkQxet9CGE
Submitted by:
R. Pecoits Filho (Arbor Research Collaborative for Health, DOOPS
Program, Ann Arbor, United States), R. Pine (Santa Casa de Curitiba
Hospital, Nefrology, Curitiba, Brazil)
“2021 WKD BEST FILM”
WINNER
The Mountain in His Blood:
https://youtu.be/ZfGFKO8An6w
Submitted by:
J. Cledes (Fondation AUB SANTE, Nephrology – Dialysis,
Saint-Gregoire, France), F. Hure (Fondation AUB Santé,
Nephrology-Dialysis, Rennes, France)
OUR IMPACT:
ISN GRANT PROGRAMS
In 2021-2022 ISN Grant Programs were able to support:
18
meetings where ISN representatives trained and interacted with local nephrology workforces in 14 countries worldwide
11
ISN Educational Ambassadors to deliver expert hands-on training in 6 different countries
7
ISN Clinical Research Projects in 5 countries
30
doctors from 10 countries to train across 12 ISN Interventional Nephrology Training Centers worldwide
64
kidney health professionals from 30 countries to be mentored on specific career goals and skills
38
doctors (as ISN fellows) from 25 countries to acquire essential nephrology training and bring this expertise to their home region
26
early-career nephrologists from 18 countries through the ISN Emerging Leaders Program toward becoming future leaders in the advancement of global kidney care
73
kidney health institution partnerships (ISN Sister Renal Centers) enhancing renal care facilities in 36 countries. This includes 18 pairs focusing on developing transplantation services (jointly funded with TTS)
TOTAL INVESTMENT:
$1.25 MILLION IN LOW- AND MIDDLE-INCOME COUNTRIES (2019-2020)
FOR A FUTURE WITH EQUITABLE ACCESS TO SUSTAINABLE KIDNEY
HEALTH FOR ALL.
ACHIEVING OUR MISSION IN 2021 AND 2022 WOULD NOT BE POSSIBLE WITHOUT THE SUPPORT OF:
OUR IMPACT:
GRANT PROGRAMS –
MENTORSHIP PROGRAM
SPOTLIGHT
The ISN Mentorship Program supports mutual learning partnerships within the ISN global community. Mentees work toward specific professional goals, while mentors develop coaching and leadership skills.
Since December 2021, ISN mentee Dr. Emmy Bell, a nephrology specialist at the University of Alabama at Birmingham (UAB), Alabama, USA, has benefitted from the expertise and experience of ISN President and mentor Agnes Fogo, professor of renal pathology at the Vanderbilt University Medical Center, Nashville, Tennessee, USA.
Dr. Bell runs the renal biopsy conference for the nephrology division at UAB. She wanted guidance to plan for clinical research on kidney biopsies from patients with hypertension-associated disease to gain insights into potential mechanisms and better prognostication to improve patient care.
The mentorship pair had regular zoom meetings and email exchanges to discuss how Dr. Bell could reach her goals and contribute to the care of patients with kidney disease. Together they developed a translational project combining renal pathology and patient clinical kidney outcomes to investigate hypertension-associated disease pathophysiology.
Hypertension-associated kidney diseases are an important contributor to chronic kidney disease in the Southern states, disparately affecting Black patients. At Professor Fogo’s suggestion, Dr. Bell will apply a relatively new technique, digital spatial profiling, to analyze this common disease.
According to Dr. Bell, “The University of Minnesota Spatialomics program will use NanoString GeoMx® software to interrogate the mRNA transcriptional signatures in regions of interest in the kidney biopsy specimens we provide. The findings may differentiate molecular mechanisms that drive the clinical phenotype heterogeneity.”
Dr. Bell is currently refining the experimental design, recruiting statisticians and panelists to collaborate on the project, and seeking support from the UAB’s Center for Clinical and Translational Science.
Professor Fogo commented on the outcome of the mentorship collaboration, “Dr. Bell was enthusiastic, responsive to different suggestions and ideas, creative and energetic. She has done a good job learning about possible new techniques to explore her goals to increase understanding of prognostic markers and potential mechanisms of progressive kidney disease associated with hypertension. It has been a privilege to interact with her.”
OUR IMPACT:
RESEARCH
The ISN has long recognized the importance of research initiatives to advance its mission for global kidney health. The last two years were no different. During a challenging pandemic, the ISN focused on providing open-access and online resources, such as the ISN-ACT Clinical Trials Toolkit and a monthly Global Trials Focus list, which summarizes recent interesting trials from around the world relevant to kidney care.
Narrative-based chapters of the Clinical Trials (ISN-ACT) Toolkit were also released throughout 2021 and 2022, guiding users through key statistical concepts, and helping them identify variables and design studies best suited to data type and target population.
Throughout 2021, the ISN Research Working Group launched a webinar series focusing on mineralocorticoid receptor antagonists (MRAs) and diabetic kidney disease (DKD) management, highlighting new research and developments in a rapidly evolving field and presenting the outcomes of the FIDELIO and FIGARO trials. Meanwhile, the iNET-CKD (cohort studies) group worked on a manuscript comparing the distribution of hemoglobin levels across international pre-dialysis CKD populations and evaluating predictors.
In May 2022, members of the ISN i3C (International Consortium CKDu Collaborators) network and the ISN Renal Pathology Working Group met to address the need to increase kidney biopsies in CKDu (chronic kidney disease of unknown origin) and improve biopsy preservation. The iNET-CKD (cohort studies) group introduced key design elements of a cohort study and provided an overview of the key points to consider when drafting a protocol during a webinar.
To round off 2022, a successful international consensus meeting (TRAnslational Nephrology Science FOR new Medications) took place in Brussels, Belgium. This inaugural meeting gathered patients, clinical and academic researchers, regulators, and industry partners to establish the research landscape and reach a consensus on optimal animal study designs to drive the development of new kidney drugs.
OUR IMPACT:
ADVOCACY
Building on its recognition as a non-state actor (NSA) in official relations with the World Health Organisation (WHO), the ISN continued to bridge the gaps of available kidney care in 2021 and 2022 through new collaborations with global partners, joining both the Kidney Health Initiative and the European Kidney Health Alliance. The ISN Patient Liaison Advisory Group was also launched at the World Congress of Nephrology 2022 and features an extraordinary group of patients representing all 10 regions of the ISN worldwide.
Conscious of the ongoing devastating physical, mental and fiscal impact of the COVID-19 pandemic on kidney patients, the ISN continued to work in 2021 and 2022 with global and national partners to prioritise vulnerable dialysis patients in national vaccination programmes. As member of the Global Coalition for Circulatory Health (GCCH), the ISN participated in the high-level webinar launch of the GCCH position paper: Preventing the Next Pandemic: The Case for Investing in Circulatory Health. This position paper, and other ISN priorities, were promoted to WHO Health Attachés and Ambassadors.
In response to evolving geopolitical environment in Europe, the ISN released, together with the American Society of Nephrology (ASN) and the European Renal Association (ERA), the joint statement “Global Kidney Organizations Appeal for Kidney Health for All War Victims”
In its work to increase political and public discourse around kidney disease, the ISN attended the World Health Assembly in person in 2022 and submitted official statementscalling for member states to prioritize kidney disease and other circulatory conditions in their preparedness, response, readiness, and coordination planning.
The ISN hosted its annual Professor Donal O’Donoghue Global Kidney Policy Forum, both virtually in 2021 and in Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia in 2022, focusing on regional inequities in access to kidney care, and promoting the ISN’s 12 Recommendations to Global Kidney Health. Tied to these events was the 2021 launch of the ISN Framework for Developing Dialysis Programs in Low-Income Settings, and the ISN’s first Advocacy Training Course hosted at WCN’22.
Underpinning these activities are the ISN’s global campaigns raising awareness of the importance of kidney care beyond the health sector. World Kidney Day (WKD) continues to be a major success, reaching over 2.5 billion people on social media in over 10 languages, supporting ~ 2500 promotional events and leading to news coverage in almost 100 countries. In 2021, the ISN also launched its public “Are your Kidneys Healthy?” quiz, which has had 57,929 completions across 188 countries, and is available in 14 languages.
ADVANCING SCIENCE:
ISN JOURNALS
Through its flagship publications, Kidney International (KI), Kidney International Reports (KIR), and Kidney International Supplements (KIS), the ISN brought its members the latest news in research, highlights from current literature, comprehensive reviews, and indepth case studies in 2021-2022.
Collectively, the journals received 6530 submissions over 2021-2022 from 87 countries. They reviewed 2919 articles and accepted 1587 submissions for publication.
In terms of readership, collectively, full-text articles from ISN Journals were downloaded
15,675,045
times across
145
countries from 2021
to 2022.
Kidney
International:
Impact Factor:
18.998
KI Reports:
Impact Factor:
6.234
KI Supplements:
Impact Factor:
6.083
OUR EVENTS:
ISN MEETINGS AND NETWORKING
Throughout 2021 and 2022, the ISN created live and online networking opportunities to develop relationships within the global nephrology community.
In 2021, the ISN organized its first fully virtual World Congress of Nephrology (WCN) hosted alongside the Canadian Society of Nephrology and the Société Québécoise de Néphrologie (SQN).
As COVID-19-related restrictions gradually declined in most countries, it was a joy to welcome delegates both onsite and virtually during the 2022 World Congress of Nephrology in Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia – the country’s first international event since 2020. Hosted alongside the Malaysian Society of Nephrology and the Asian Pacific Society of Nephrology, WCN’22 welcomed ~ 4000 delegates from ~ 135 countries for scientific exchange and to advance kidney health worldwide.
In-person events continued to gain momentum with two well-attended ISN Frontiers meetings in 2022: the first on complement-mediated kidney diseases, hosted alongside the Mario Negri Institute for Pharmacological Research in Bergamo, Italy; followed by a focus on infections and the kidney, hosted alongside the Indian Society of Nephrology in New Delhi, India. Several ISN Educational Ambassador visits and Continuous Medical Education-supported meetings were supported by the ISN as well.
The ISN also endorsed 79 high-quality stakeholder meetings, courses, and workshops to benefit its members and affiliated scientific communities.
OUR WORK:
VIRTUAL LEARNING
The ISN is committed to accessible content for all. Upholding this mission has led to a newly upgraded online educational platform, the ISN Academy, which includes countless courses and webinars, and content from past ISN events available to ISN members to rewatch or discover for the first time.
The ISN Academy’s popularity skyrocketed following the platform’s revamp in August 2022: Academy users rose from 860 per month at the beginning of the year to 3,800 per month by the end of 2022.
Over the last two years, the ISN Academy has hosted 110 Webinars, released 12 curricula, 25 Quick-Case-Based presentations, and 15 COVID-19 online educational materials. It houses more than 100 videos from the ISN’s 2021-2022 World Congresses of Nephrology and hundreds of hours of other online educational material.
One channel with ever-increasing reach to educate in kidney health is social media. The ISN Social Media Team generated 26 video abstracts from ISN Journals content over the last 2 years. Many new initiatives were also launched, including 7 Twitter Spaces, 17 Tweetorials, and 50 quizzes on multiple topics, some of which were nominated for #NephJCKidneys Awards by NephJC.
EXPLORE SOCIAL MEDIA VIDEO ABSTRACTS AND INTERVIEWS
OUR IMPACT:
A CALL FROM YOUNG EMERGING LEADERS FOR
A MORE SUSTAINABLE FUTURE IN NEPHROLOGY
By Wing-Shing Fung,
on behalf of the ISN Emerging Leaders Program
(ELP) 2022 cohort*
Climate change is the biggest health threat humanity is currently facing [1], and its impact on health is devastating. Indeed, climate change is expected to cause approximately 250,000 additional deaths per year between 2030 and 2050 [2]. The global temperature has been rising since the Industrial Revolution and is projected to increase by about 1.5°C by 2050 and 2-4°C by 2100 [3]. The Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change has determined that to avert catastrophic health impacts and prevent millions of climate change-related deaths, the temperature rise must not exceed 1.5°C [4].
The best way to avert disaster is to reduce carbon emissions, the primary driver of global warming [5]. While every sector needs to play its part in reducing carbon footprints, the healthcare sector is particularly important as it contributes an estimated 4-6% of global greenhouse gas emissions [6]. Specifically, concerning kidney care, the carbon footprints of hemodialysis have been recognized to be particularly high, due to the high use of energy, water and consumables, and the repetitive nature of dialysis treatments [7]. There is less information on the ecological burden of peritoneal dialysis, but one analysis reported that the estimated environmental impact of peritoneal dialysis might be as much as hemodialysis [8].
“Green nephrology” is a concept that has been gaining traction over the past few years. It aims to improve the environmental sustainability of kidney care through changing practices and utilizing available resources in a more environmentally friendly way [9]. It also focuses on increased monitoring of resource usage and waste generation from kidney care facilities to reduce waste and the carbon footprint. Indeed, the environmental profile of hemodialysis can be improved in several ways, such as recycling reverse osmosis reject water; utilizing renewable energy; improving waste management and potentially reducing dialysate flow rates [10].
Contrary to common misconceptions, adopting “green nephrology” policies can actually improve cost-effectiveness and increase productivity [11]. The Green Nephrology Network, an NHS Sustainable Healthcare Programme in the United Kingdom, has saved an estimated 10 million Euros in their healthcare system annually as the result of environmentally friendly water and electricity saving initiatives [12,13]. Indeed, one of the dialysis units reported savings of up to 4 million liters of water per year with a new, more efficient water system [13].
Climate change is rapidly and potentially irreversibly changing our planet. It is imperative that we urgently reduce the carbon footprint in healthcare. As the International Society of Nephrology Emerging Leaders Program 2022 cohort, we are committed to promoting “green nephrology” in the fight against climate change. We believe that it is our responsibility, as emerging leaders of a new generation who will witness the full force of the changing climate, to take the initiative, speak up, advocate, and show leadership through a collaborative effort to promote the needed change. We also call for further research into novel technologies and policy innovation at a broader level, recognizing that a society-level change is required. The clock is ticking, and the fight is on.
* Winston Wing-Shing FUNG, Peace BAGASHA, Divya BAJPAI, Workagegnehu Hailu BILCHUT, Letizia DE CHIARA, Isabelle ETHIER, Ehab HAFIZ, Dearbhla KELLY, Ugochi ONU, Maria PIPPIAS, Shaifali SANDAL, Brendan SMYTH. All contributed equally.
REFERENCES
- World Health Organisation: Climate change and human health, 2022. https://www.who.int/news-room/fact-sheets/detail/climate-change-and-health. Accessed on 26 July 2022
- World Health Organization. (2014). Quantitative risk assessment of the effects of climate change on selected causes of death, 2030s and 2050s. World Health Organization. https://apps.who.int/iris/handle/10665/134014. Accessed on 26 July 2022
- IPCC, 2014: Climate Change 2014: Synthesis Report. Contribution of Working Groups I, II and III to the Fifth Assessment Report of the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change [Core Writing Team, R.K. Pachauri and L.A. Meyer (eds.)]. IPCC, Geneva, Switzerland, 151 pp.
- Summary for policymakers. In: Global warming of 1.5°C. An IPCC special report on the impacts of global warming of 1.5°C above pre-industrial levels and related global greenhouse gas emission pathways, in the context of strengthening the global response to the threat of climate change, sustainable development, and efforts to eradicate poverty. Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change; 2018. https://www.ipcc.ch/sr15/chapter/spm/. Accessed on 26 July 2022
- Solomon S, Plattner GK, Knutti R, Friedlingstein P. Irreversible climate change due to carbon dioxide emissions. Proc Natl Acad Sci USA. 2009 Feb 10;106(6):1704-9. doi: 10.1073/pnas.0812721106
- Malik A, Lenzen M, McAlister S, McGain F. The carbon footprint of Australian health care. Lancet Planet Health. 2018 Jan;2(1):e27-e35. doi: 10.1016/S2542-5196(17)30180-8
OUR LEADERSHIP
EXECUTIVE COMMITTEE (2021-2023):
Agnes Fogo
ISN President
USA
Masaomi Nangaku
President-Elect
Japan
Vivekanand Jha
Past-President
India
Fergus Caskey
Secretary/Treasurer
United Kingdom
Vladimir Tesar
Representative to the Council
Czech Republic
Liz Lightstone
Representative of the Council
United Kingdom
Ifeoma Ulasi
Member-at-Large
Nigeria
Rolando Claure-Del Granado
Member-at-Large
Bolivia
Xueqing Yu
Member-at-Large
China
Charu Malik
Ex-officio Member
Belgium
COUNCIL (2021-2023):
Gloria Ashuntantang
Cameroon
Fatiu Abiola
Arogundade
Nigeria
Vladimir Tesar
Czech Republic
Sanjin Rački
Croatia
Magdalena Madero
Mexico
Carmen Tzanno-Martins
Brazil
Ali K. Abu-Alfa
Lebanon
Shokoufeh Savaj
Iran
Abduzhappar Gaipov
Kazakhstan
Larisa Prikhodina
Russia
Rulan Parekh
Canada
Shuchi Anand
USA
Yusuke Suzuki
Japan
Angela Yee-Moon Wang
Hong Kong
Muh Geot Wong
Australia
Sunita Bavanandan
Malaysia
Dibya Singh Shah
Nepal
Narayan Prasad
India
Rosanna Coppo
Italy
Liz Lightstone
United Kingdom
OUR TEAM
The ISN team comprises 40 intelligent, energetic, hard-working people committed to a future where all people have equitable access to sustainable kidney care.
The team, spread across three continents and six time zones, draws on diverse expertise and backgrounds to help advance kidney health worldwide.
It was a delight to return to in-office work as COVID-19-related restrictions gradually declined. Some practices that began during the pandemic (hybrid working, mental wellness training) proved to have a positive impact and will continue. A perfect example was the 2022 ISN staff end-of-year holiday get-together, which started with a virtual presentation and quiz and continued with an optional in-person dinner in Brussels and online celebration.
OUR FINANCIALS
FY 21-22
As a global professional association, the ISN raises funds from its members, events and a variety of external supporters and then invests a majority of its revenue back into grant programs, research, advocacy and education activities aimed at advancing kidney health worldwide.
ISN REVENUE 2021
ISN REVENUE 2022
ALLOCATION OF EXPENSES 2021
ALLOCATION OF EXPENSES 2022
OUR SUPPORTERS
The ISN extends its deepest gratitude to its supporters who help advance kidney health worldwide. The commitment of these donors – organizations, societies, individual and family funds, corporations – helps enable the ISN to achieve its mission.
The ISN thanks its industry supporters for their commitment to advancing kidney health worldwide.
2021-2022 SUPPORTERS
Programs
• Boehringer Ingelheim & Lilly
(Emerging Leaders Program)
• Janssen (Emerging Leaders Program)
• BD (IN Training Centers)
Academy
• Boehringer Ingelheim & Lilly
• Fresenius Medical Care
• Janssen
Corporate members
• Boehringer Ingelheim & Lilly
• Fresenius Medical Care
• Janssen
• Novartis
Research
• GSK
• TRANSFORM Event – AstraZeneca; Aurinia
Pharma; Daiichi Sankyo; Kyowa Kirin; Otsuka;
Travere Therapeutics
Special projects
• Astellas – Anemia curriculum on Academy;
ISN webinar
• AstraZeneca – Multiple
• Baxter – White paper from IHDR roundtable
• Bayer – Education tools
• Boehringer Ingelheim & Lilly – Education tools
• Chiesi – Webinar series
• CSL Vifor – Cardiorenal project
• Novartis – Multiple
• KDIGO also supported four webinars.
World Kidney Day
• Astellas
• Baxter
• Bayer
• Boehringer Ingelheim & Lilly
• Calliditas Therapeutics
• Chinook
• Diaverum
• Fresenius Kabi
• Fresenius Medical Care
• GSK
• Janssen
• Novartis
• Sanofi
• Travere
• Vera Therapeutics
• Vertex Pharma
• Vifor
Platinum supporters
of WCNs
2021
• Travere
• Janssen
• Boehringer Ingelheim & Lilly
• AstraZeneca
2022
• AstraZeneca
• Travere Therapeutics
• Novartis
Frontiers Bergamo
• Alexion AstraZeneca Rare Disease
• Apellis
• BioCryst
• Novartis
• Silence Therapeutics
• Omeros
• Sobi
• Technogenetics
• CSL Vifor
Frontiers Delhi
• Larenon
• Steadfast
LOOKING AHEAD:
TRAILBLAZING WITH THE ISN
As you reviewed the 2021-2022 ISN Biennial Report, I hope you got a glimpse of the challenges, successes, and global impact of the ISN and its members and experienced the pride and appreciation I feel every day in being part of this ongoing endeavor to advance kidney health worldwide, together.
Facing ongoing global pandemic and geopolitical crises in the last two years, the international kidney health community – and its needs and priorities – continue to evolve rapidly.
To meet the needs of its worldwide members, the ISN has upgraded the ISN Academy and added new online features, including a member directory and forums, facilitating connection and interaction between ISN members, as well as providing outstanding online educational tools.
The ISN continues to pave new paths with the WHO, the UN, and beyond as a pioneer in the kidney care community to increase awareness of the importance of the kidneys.
The ISN has and will continue to learn, experiment, and innovate to ensure that we remain enduringly relevant to kidney health professionals and people with kidney diseases and succeed in advancing kidney health worldwide.
I am constantly inspired by our younger generations of kidney care professionals who, time and again, have the creativity to become trailblazers in kidney care.
The current chair of the Young Nephrologists Committee (YNC) is now in a prime position to raise awareness of the need to prioritize kidney health on the global NCD agenda as she serves a term on the World Health Organization (WHO) Director-General’s Youth Council. This initiative harnesses the energy and ideas of younger people worldwide to promote and protect the future of healthcare.
Taking inspiration from the second ELP cohort’s work on climate change, the ISN will lead an international group, with representatives from major regional and national societies, to develop climate-conscious and resilient kidney care efforts.
In addition, the ISN will work with the International Peritoneal Dialysis Society to set up an international home dialysis consortium to promote global access to and equity for home dialysis. A launch meeting is scheduled for WCN’24.
These new global and collaborative efforts, alongside ongoing ISN initiatives, testify to the countless ways we can contribute to advancing global kidney care when we work together.
I thank all ISN members and volunteer leaders for their tireless dedication in 2021-2022. I look forward with confidence to the ISN’s continued success.
Charu Malik
Executive Director
Since 1985, the ISN has funded
2,218 projects in 103 countries impacting
100,818 healthcare professionals.