News

Dear ISN community, 

It has been a truly rewarding year at the helm of ISN activities. As COVID-19-related restrictions gradually declined in most countries, it was a joy to welcome delegates onsite and virtually at WCN’22 in Malaysia – the country’s first international event of the year.  

In-person events continued to gain momentum throughout the year 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. 

More recently, 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. We look forward to sharing guidance on this with you next year. 

The ISN’s commitment to accessible content for all 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. 

One channel with ever-increasing reach to promote kidney health and care is social media. The ISN Social Media Team continued to generate video and visual abstracts from ISN Journals content. Many new initiatives were launched this year, including Twitter Spaces, “Tweetorials,“ and kidney care quizzes, some of which were nominated for #NephJCKidneys Awards by NephJC.  

The ISN instituted a new distinction this year: “Fellow of the International Society of Nephrology” (FISN) – a way to thank those making a positive impact in kidney care. Having had the opportunity as ISN president to engage with so many exceptional and motivated ISN members, I have come across many who deserve this accolade. Not only is FISN a seal of professional excellence, but it also serves to increase visibility for our valuable discipline. 

A special mention in 2022 should go to the Emerging Leaders Program. As “Permacrisis” is announced as Collins Dictionary’s word of the year, we look toward younger generations of kidney care professionals to secure a more sustainable future for patients and colleagues through intelligent, collaborative leadership strategies with a “green nephrology” perspective. The first ELP cohort published on accessing essential medicines for people with chronic kidney disease in lower-income countries. The second 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 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, having been selected to serve on the World Health Organization (WHO) Director-General’s Youth Council earlier this year. The initiative was set up to engage with younger people worldwide and harness their energy and ideas to promote and protect the future of healthcare. 

The recent launch of the Young Nephrologists Network will facilitate younger members’ involvement with the ISN and offers an additional platform for connection within the international kidney care community.  

Despite current global challenges, the year ahead holds real promise for all involved in global kidney care. The ISN is in the process of convening an international group, with representatives from major regional and national societies, to take the lead in the development of 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. Working alongside you over the past months has been an honor. 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. 

As the year draws to a close and a new ISN membership year beckons, we urge all to discover recently launched membership initiatives that help ensure equitable access to ISN resources. 

I wish you all the best for the year ahead and look forward to welcoming you to the World Congress of Nephrology 2023 in Bangkok, Thailand, from March 30 to April 2.   

ISN President,
Agnes B. Fogo