Monday, 12 September 2011 08:36
Written by Sally Horspool
ISN is happy to announce the start of a new partnership with UKidney.com, a leading resource in nephrology education. From today, ISN will become UKidney’s exclusive educational partner.
David Harris, Chair of the ISN Education Committee, is looking forward to the collaboration which he believes will expand access to educational materials and opportunities for nephrologists worldwide, with a special focus on developing countries.
“ISN, with the help of UKidney.com, will deliver the latest interactive education resources online to build a new ISN educational portal. This includes interactive histopathology images, videos on interventional procedures, clinical practice guidelines, meeting coverage and more. It promises to be very instructive and enjoyable to use,” he explains.
“We are also making many of UKidney’s interactive offerings available to ISN members and will feature content created by ISN on UKidney.com itself,” adds Jordan Weinstein, director of UKidney.com.
Friday, 09 September 2011 10:00
Deadline 30 September 2011: GO SRC Program application
Written by Sally Horspool
This month is the deadline to send your application for the next ISN Global Outreach (GO) Sister Renal Center (SRC) Program call for proposals. The deadline has been set for 30 September 2011. There are around 10 places available at entry level. More details can be found here.
If you are interested in applying or for more detailed information about this program, please contact Samantha Rens at the ISN headquarters, e-mail:
[email protected] .
We look forward to receiving applications from your region.
Friday, 09 September 2011 08:17
Mark your calendars: ISN R&P Program deadline this October
Written by Sally Horspool
This year, the deadline for applying to the ISN Global Outreach (GO) Reseach and Prevention (R&P) Program is October 1st, 2011.
In the context of its call for proposals on “Noncommunicable chronic disease prevention programs in developing countries”, the R&P committee can provide seed funding (up to 15,000 USD) for a number of projects awarded on a competitive basis in two rounds every year. Find out more here.
For further information, contact Antoinette Van Engelen at the Mario Negri Institute, e-mail:
[email protected] .
Friday, 09 September 2011 08:04
30 September 2011: deadline ISN GO SRC Program
Written by Sally Horspool
This month is the last chance to apply for the ISN Global Outreach (GO) Sister Renal Center Program. The deadline has been set for September 30, 2011. Find out more here.
The ISN SRC Program aims at enhancing the practice of nephrology in the developing world by linking emerging renal units with established centers of excellence in the developed world. It nurtures a partnership between two centers by supplying a framework and several benefits which depend on the level status within the program.
The benefits are all products of synergized efforts between all other ISN GO Programs, activities and overall strategies (fellowships, trainings, journal subscriptions, travel grants…). There are around 10 available places at the entry level.
For more information, please contact Samantha Rens at the ISN Headquarters, e-mail:
[email protected] .
Wednesday, 31 August 2011 12:20
Join ISN for ASN Kidney Week 2011 in Philadelphia
Written by Sally Horspool
ISN will take part in the American Society of Nephrology (ASN) Kidney Week from November 10 to 12, 2011 in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. Every year, this event attracts more than 13,000 kidney professionals from around the globe to exchange knowledge, learn the latest scientific and medical advances, and listen to engaging and provocative exchanges between leading experts in the field.
ISN is planning a range of activities during the whole week. Visitors can find out more about the impact of the ISN Global Outreach (GO) Programs at the exhibition stand (booth 332-336).
Aside from this, ISN is also planning:
– Information sessions on ISN’s GO programs
– Meet the Kidney International Editor sessions
– To showcase World Kidney Day 2012 activities and campaign materials
– Incentives for joining and renewing ISN membership
– Plus much more
Stay tuned online for more information as it happens. We look forward to meeting you in Philadelphia.
Monday, 29 August 2011 09:08
ISN advocates to get CKD on the WHO health agenda
Written by Sally Horspool
Cancer, diabetes, heart and lung disease are the main targets of a new World Health Organization (WHO) campaign launched in 2005 to address the global epidemic of non-communicable diseases (NCDs). Chronic Kidney Disease (CKD) does not get a passing mention even though it meets all the criteria of a major public health problem.
Aside from raising awareness with World Kidney Day, ISN is currently working to better position CKD in global health thinking by building official working relations with the WHO. ISN President John Feehally says: “Gaining a position for kidney disease in global health strategies is long. There are many obstacles along the way. However, we remain committed to ensuring that kidney disease patients share the benefits that come with increased awareness and attention to NCDs worldwide. ”
Starting in 2008, ISN put forward its mission and proposed a joint work plan to implement CKD prevention and intervention programs into WHO’s health agenda and build “official relations. ISN has now submitted a final progress report on the 2009-2011 ISN/WHO work plan and a new work plan for 2011-13.
The first part of this work plan was completed this July when William Couser, Marcello Tonelli and Giuseppe Remuzzi submitted a paper to WHO entitled: “The Contribution of Chronic Kidney Disease to the Global Burden of Major Non-Communicable Diseases.” Remuzzi and Norberto Perico also completed the second part by applying WHO/ISH risk charts to the ISN KDDC data base to study the association between kidney disease markers and the risk of cardio vascular disease.
In June, ISN leaders contacted the WHO’s Assistant Director General for Non-Communicable Diseases and Mental Health to review and update the status of ISN’s application. On August 2, 2011 ISN was notified that the application was complete and will be reviewed in January 2012.
At the ISN World Congress of Nephrology 2011, leaders continued to voice concern that CKD remains absent from the WHO list of NCDs even though it affects twice the estimated number of the world’s population with diabetes. A senior advisor for public policy was hired to put together a plan of action to position CKD more prominently in the global health agenda, especially at the United Nations High Level Meeting on NCDs taking place in New York in September 2011. Joint efforts with the International Federation of Kidney Foundations, European Kidney Health Alliance and leaders of major US renal organizations have also been carried out to get ISN’ a seat at the table for CKD policy planning.
This got the ball rolling for ISN to recruit some 350 ISN ‘advocacy volunteers’ to carry its message to the WHO and lobby for the organization to include CKD in its NCD strategy. So far, these volunteers have cultivated relationships with Health Ministers in Argentina, Australia, Belgium, Brazil, Canada, Chile, China, Egypt, Ethiopia, France, Germany, Guatemala , India, Hong Kong, Japan, Mexico, Morocco, The Netherlands, Senegal, South Africa, Sri Lanka, Taiwan, Turkey, The United States, Uruguay.
To raise further attention, ISN has produced CKD supportive ‘Op-Ed’ articles and an advocacy piece entitled: “Awareness of Kidney Disease Low Despite Affecting 500 Million People Worldwide and Global Costs Surpassing $1 Trillion this Decade .” On August 22, 2011, ISN was granted membership in the NCD Alliance “Common Interest Group” – the first renal organization to be included in this group.
Saturday, 27 August 2011 14:16
Call for KI editor applications open to ISN members
Written by Sally Horspool
ISN is currently looking for a new editor for Kidney International, the official journal of the ISN focusing on the development and consequences of kidney disease. This position is open to ISN members.
Deadline for expressions of interest is October 1st, 2011. Full applications will be accepted until October 31, 2011.
For more information, read the full job advertissment here or contact Luca Segantini at the ISN Headquarters, e-mail
[email protected] .
Friday, 19 August 2011 11:35
Major kidney organizations join forces with ISN to appeal for help from HHS Secretary Sebelius
Written by Jesper Lillelund
Leaders of major US kidney organizations concerned with reducing the burden of chronic kidney disease (CKD) in America, joined forces last week with their colleagues at the International Society of Nephrology (ISN) in its joint global initiative asking Health Ministers around the world, including HHS Secretary Kathleen Sebelius – to help secure the inclusion of kidney disease in the strategies coming from the World Health Organization/United Nations High Level Meeting on Non-Communicable Diseases being held in New York, 19-20 September 2011.
You can read the full press release here .
To read a copy of the joint letter sent to Secretary Sebelius click here .
Wednesday, 10 August 2011 09:27
Join the EHEC/HUS symposium this September
Written by Sally Horspool
In May this year, Germany was hit by a Enterohaemorrhagic Escherichia coli (EHEC) epidemic posing a big challenge to the medical community and health policymakers alike. The EHEC bacterium O104:H4 proved to be a tenacious and aggressive pathogen, causing haemolytic uraemic syndrome (HUS) in 860 of 3,000 patients affected.
EHEC/HUS registry, gained a high level of respect and recognition both domestically and internationally. The German Society of Nephrology (DGfN) is holding the EHEC/HUS scientific symposium to share the experience gained from this epidemic.The meeting will take place on September 9, 2011 at the ESTREL Convention in Berlin, Germany.
Internationally renowned experts will discuss the interdisciplinary principles and diagnosis of EHEC infections and the various options for treating EHEC-associated HUS. Initial analyses of the DGfN clinical register will also be presented.
At the time of the outbreak, the EHEC strain and the source of the infection were unknown, and the frequency and severity of the complications that arose took everyone by surprise. No evidence-based data was available on HUS therapy in adult patients, and treatment was ultimately performed as a “rescue therapy”.
No country is immune to EHEC epidemics. However, compiling more evidence means medical communities can react more effectively and more lives can be saved. Register online for this event or download the flyer with information on the program.
The latest edition ISN News has now been published and is on its way to you. You can already read the electronic version on the Gateway now.
In this issue, we cast our eyes on the future of the Society and speak to recently-elected ISN President John Feehally. He shares his thoughts on the aims for the next term and looks at the challenges for nephrologists in the developed and developing world.
In addition, we have gathered some great testimonies from those involved in the ISN Global Outreach (GO) Programs. ISN recently sent an Educational Ambassador to Vietnam to train local nephrologists in renal pathology. An ISN GO Sister Renal Center partnership has also helped staff in Ghana learn more about dialysis.
Recently, the Young Nephrologist Committee has been busy setting up its mentorship program, an initiative it is very excited to talk about. Find out more while you get an update on past Continuous Medical Education Courses or catch up on upcoming ISN events.
You can browse through all previous editions of ISN News here.