Nephrology Team

Director, Department of Nephrology 

Senior Lecturer in Medicine, UNSW

Dr Erlich is a clinical academic and Senior Lecturer in Medicine at UNSW and Prince of Wales Hospital. He graduated from medicine from Melbourne University followed by a PhD from Monash University and then completed post doctoral studies at The Scripps Research Institute in La Jolla California prior to taking up his current position as consultant nephrologist and clinical academic. Dr Erlich supervises both undergraduate and postgraduate research students at UNSW.

Examples of Research Publications

• Electronic alerts and a care bundle for acute kidney injury-an Australian cohort study. NDT 2022. Kotwal S*, Herath S*, Erlich J, Boardman S, Qian J, Lawton P, Campbell C, Whatnall A, Teo S, Horvath A R, Endre Z.
• Cystatin C Kidney Functional Reserve: A Simple Method to Predict Outcome in Chronic Kidney Disease. Christiadi D, Simpson C, O’brien K, Taylor K, Luxton G, Rossleigh M, Erlich J, Endre Z. 2022 Nephrology Dialysis Transplantation 37 (6), 1118-1124
• The Kinetic estimated Glomerular Filtration Rate Ratio Predicts Acute Kidney Injury. Christiadi D, Erlich J, Levy M, Herath S, Qian J, Boardman S, Campbell C, Kotwal S, Horvath A, Endre Z. (2021) Nephrology 26 (10), 782-789
• Plasminogen activator inhibitor-1 and venous thrombosis in pancreatic cancer. Hisada Y, Garratt K, Maqsood A, Grover S, Kawano T, Cooley B, Erlich J, Moik F, Flick M, Pabinger I, Mackman N and Ay C.  Blood Advances. (2021) Volume 5, (2),345-612)
• Selection and Validation of Reference Genes for Normalisation of Gene Expression in Ischaemic and Toxicological Studies in Kidney Disease. Herath S, Dai H, Erlich J, Au AY, Taylor K, Succar L, Endre ZH. PLoS One. 2020 May 21;15(5)

Professor of Medicine, UNSW

Professor Zoltan Endre graduated with first class honours in Medicine and Science and a PhD from Sydney University. He trained as a Nephrologist at Prince Henry Hospital in Sydney and completed post-doctoral scientific studies as Nuffield Medical Fellow in Oxford. He has held Nephrology Consultant and Professorial appointments in Brisbane – Australia, Christchurch – New Zealand and Sydney – Australia. He is also Director of the Australian Kidney Biomarker Research Laboratory.

Examples of Research Publications

• Kidney-function trajectories from young adulthood to midlife: Identifying risk strata and opportunities for intervention. Guiney H, Walker R, Broadbent J, Caspi A, Goodin E, Kokaua J, Moffitt TE, Robertson S, Theodore R, Poulton R, and Endre Z. Kidney Int Reports, 2022 doi:10.1016/j.ekir.2022.10.005.
• Controversies in acute kidney injury: conclusions from a Kidney Disease: Improving Global Outcomes (KDIGO) Conference. Ostermann M, Bellomo R, Burdmann EA, Doi K, Endre ZH, Goldstein SL, Kane-Gill SL, Liu KD, Prowle JR, Shaw AD, Srisawat N, Cheung M, Jadoul M, Winkelmayer WC, Kellum JA; Kidney Int. 2020 Aug;98(2):294-309. doi: 10.1016/j.kint.2020.04.020. Epub 2020 Apr 26. PMID: 32709292
• Cystatin C kidney functional reserve: a simple method to predict outcome in chronic kidney disease. Christiadi D, Simpson C, O’Brien K, Taylor, K, Luxton G, Rossleigh, M, Erlich, J, Endre, ZH. Nephrol Dial Transp. 2021. May 27:gfab188. doi: 10.1093/ndt/gfab188. Online ahead of print. PMID: 34043011
• Acute Decompensated Heart Failure and the Kidney: Physiological, Histological and Transcriptomic Responses to Development and Recovery. Rademaker MT, Pilbrow AP, Ellmers LJ, Palmer SC, Davidson T, Mbikou P, Scott NJA, Permina E, Charles CJ, Endre ZH, Richards AM.  J Am Heart Assoc. 2021 Sep 21;10(18):e021312. doi: 10.1161/JAHA.121.021312. Epub 2021 Sep 17. PMID: 34533033 
• Acute kidney disease and renal recovery: consensus report of the Acute Disease Quality Initiative (ADQI) 16 Workgroup. Chawla LS, Bellomo R, Bihorac A, Goldstein SL, Siew ED, Bagshaw SM, Bittleman D, Cruz D, Endre Z, Fitzgerald RL, Forni L, Kane-Gill SL, Hoste E, Koyner J, Liu KD, Macedo E, Mehta R, Murray P, Nadim M, Ostermann M, Palevsky PM, Pannu N, Rosner M, Wald R, Zarbock A, Ronco C, Kellum JA; Nat Rev Nephrol. 13, 241–257 (2017). Feb 27. doi: 10.1038/nrneph.2017.2.

Staff Specialist Nephrologist

Senior Lecturer (Conjoint) in Medicine, UNSW

Dr Fernando has been a kidney specialist for over 17 years. She is a part of the kidney transplant team at Prince of Wales Hospital. Her special interests include kidney transplantation, chronic kidney disease, electrolyte abnormalities and polycystic kidney disease. Her research interests include Proteomics and the Human Leucocyte Antigen system.

Examples of Research Publications

• Biomarkers of calcineurin inhibitor nephrotoxicity in transplantation. Fernando M, Peake PW, Endre ZH. Biomark Med. 2014;8(10):1247-62. doi: 10.2217/bmm.14.86. PMID: 25525985.
• Unlocking the code: mining the urinary proteome after renal transplantation. Endre ZH, Fernando M. Kidney Int. 2016 Jun;89(6):1183-5. doi: 10.1016/j.kint.2016.03.008. PMID: 27181772.
• Outcomes of cardiac surgery in chronic kidney disease. Fernando M, Paterson HS, Byth K, Robinson BM, Wolfenden H, Gracey D, Harris D. J Thorac Cardiovasc Surg. 2014 Nov;148(5):2167-73. doi: 10.1016/j.jtcvs.2013.12.064. Epub 2014 Jan 15. PMID: 24521954.
• Incidence and survival of end-stage kidney disease due to polycystic kidney disease in Australia and New Zealand (1963-2014). Fernando MR, Dent H, McDonald SP, Rangan G. Popul Health Metr. 2017 Feb 17;15(1):7. doi: 10.1186/s12963-017-0123-7. PMID: 28212688; PMCID: PMC5316166.
• Effect of Hemodiafiltration on the Progression of Neuropathy with Kidney Failure: A Randomized Controlled Trial. Kang A, Arnold R, Gallagher M, Snelling P, Green J, Fernando M, Kiernan MC, Hand S, Grimley K, Burman J, Heath A, Rogers K, Bhattacharya A, Smyth B, Bradbury T, Hawley C, Perkovic V, Krishnan AV, Jardine MJ; FINESSE Steering Committee. Clin J Am Soc Nephrol. 2021 Sep;16(9):1365-1375. doi: 10.2215/CJN.17151120. Epub 2021 Jul 7. PMID: 34233923; PMCID: PMC8729572.

Staff Specialist Nephrologist

Deputy Director of Dialysis

Conjoint Lecturer UNSW

Dr Amy Kang is a nephrologist. She graduated from medicine at the University of Sydney with honours in 2009. She undertook her renal training at Royal Prince Alfred and Concord hospitals in Sydney and Hammersmith hospital/ Imperial College NHS Trust in London (UK) and completed her training in 2017. She has a special interest in chronic kidney disease, high blood pressure, vasculitis/ glomerulonephritis and dialysis. Dr Kang is the clinical lead for the resistant hypertension clinic and the deputy clinical lead for the dialysis service.

Examples of Research Publications

• Sodium‐Glucose Cotransporter 2 Inhibition for the Prevention of Cardiovascular Events in Patients With Type 2 Diabetes Mellitus: A Systematic Review and Meta‐Analysis. C Arnott, Q Li, A Kang, BL Neuen, S Bompoint, CSP Lam, A Rodgers, et alJournal of the American Heart Association 9 (3), e014908.
• High Incidence of Arterial and Venous Thrombosis in Antineutrophil Cytoplasmic Antibody–associated Vasculitis. A Kang, M Antonelou, NL Wong, A Tanna, N Arulkumaran, FWK Tam, et al. The Journal of rheumatology 46 (3), 285-293.
• SGLT2 inhibitors may offer benefit beyond diabetes. A Kang, MJ Jardine. Nature Reviews Nephrology 17 (2), 83-84.
• Incidence and Associations of Chronic Kidney Disease in Community Participants With Diabetes: A 5-Year Prospective Analysis of the EXTEND45 Study. L Sukkar, A Kang, C Hockham, T Young, M Jun, C Foote, R Pecoits-Filho, ... Diabetes Care
• Effect of Hemodiafiltration on the Progression of Neuropathy with Kidney Failure. A Kang, R Arnold, M Gallagher, P Snelling, J Green, M Fernando, .et al. CJASN.

Staff Specialist Nephrologist

Director of East Coast Transplant Service

Conjoint Lecturer in Medicine, UNSW

Dr Keung is the director of Kidney transplantation across the South Eastern Sydney Local Health District and cares for patients with all types and stages of kidney disease including before and after transplantations.

Examples of Research Publications

• Deep learning identified pathological abnormalities predictive of graft loss in kidney transplant biopsies. Yi Z, Salem F, Menon M, Keung K, Xi C, Hultin S, Al Rasheed M, Li L, Su F, Sun Z, Wei C, Huang W, Fredericks S, Lin Q, Banu K, Wong G, Rogers N, Farouk S, Cravedi P, Shingde M, Smith RN, Rosales I, O'Connell P, Colvin R, Murphy B, Zhang W. Kidney Int. 2021 Oct. Doi: 10.1016/j.kint.2021.09.028.
• Key Driver Genes as potential therapeutic targets in renal allograft rejection. Keung KL, Yi Z, Li L, Hu M, Lu B, Nicholson L, Jimenez-Vera E, Menon M, Wei C, Alexander S, Murphy B, O’Connell P, Zhang W. JCI Insight. 2020 Aug 6; 5(15):e136220
• A Peripheral Blood Gene Expression Signature to Diagnose Subclinical Acute Rejection. Zhang W, Yi Z, Keung KL, Shang H, Wei C, Cravedi P, Sun Z, Xi C, Woytovich C, Farouk S, Huang W, Banu K, Gallon L, Magee CN, Najafian N, Samaniego M, Djamali A, Alexander SI, Rosales IA, Smith RN, Xiang J, Lerut E, Kuypers D, Naesens M, O'Connell PJ, Colvin R, Menon MC, Murphy B. J Am Soc Nephrol. 2019 Aug;30(8):1481-1494.
• Pretransplant transcriptomic signature in peripheral blood predicts early acute rejection. Zhang W, Yi Z, Wei C, Keung KL, Sun Z, Xi C, Woytovich C, Farouk S, Gallon L, Menon MC, Magee C, Najafian N, Samaniego MD, Djamali A, Alexander SI, Rosales IA, Smith RN, O'Connell PJ, Colvin R, Cravedi P, Murphy B. JCI Insight. 2019 Jun 6;4(11):e127543.
• The Role of the Biopsy Transcriptome in identifying Kidney Transplants at risk of Chronic Injury. O’Connell P, Zhang W, Menon M, Yi Z, Schröppel b, Gallon l, Luan Y, Rosales I, Ge Y, Losic B, Xi C, Woytovich C, Keung K, Wei C, Greene I, Overbey J, Bagiella E, Najafian N, Samaniego M, Djamali A, Alexander S, Nankivell B, Chapman J, Smith R, Colvin R, and Murphy B. Lancet. 2016 Sep 3;388(10048):983-93

Staff Specialist Nephrologist

Director of Dialysis

Senior Lecturer (Conjoint) in Medicine, UNSW

A/Prof Kotwal has been a nephrologist for over 10 years with a special interest in chronic kidney disease, high blood pressure, dialysis and is passionate about embedding research into clinical practice. A/Prof Kotwal is the Clinical Dialysis lead at Prince of Wales Hospital and the program head of the renal and metabolic division at The George Institute for Global Health.

Examples of Research Publications

• Angiotensin receptor blockers for the treatment of covid-19: pragmatic, adaptive, multicentre, phase 3, randomised controlled trial. Jardine M, Kotwal S, ….on behalf of the CLARITY investigators. BMJ 2022; 379
• Multifaceted intervention to reduce haemodialysis catheter related bloodstream infections: REDUCCTION stepped wedge, cluster randomised trial. Kotwal S, …on behalf of the REDUCCTION investigators. BMJ 2022; 377.
• Platform Clinical Trials Within Nephrology—Interpreting the Evidence. Kotwal S, Perkovic V, Heerspink H. AJKD 2022.
• Impact of SGLT2 inhibitors on the kidney in people with type 2 diabetes and severely increased albuminuria. Shah N, Perkovic V, Kotwal S. Expert Review of Clinical Pharmacology. 2022
• Electronic alerts and a care bundle for acute kidney injury-an Australian cohort study. NDT 2022. Kotwal S*, Herath S*, Erlich J, Boardman S, Qian J, Lawton P, Campbell C, Whatnall A, Teo S, Horvath A R, Endre Z.

Senior Lecturer in Medicine, Conjoint UNSW

Dr Luxton is a general and transplant nephrologist at Prince of Wales Hospital. He holds the positions as a member of National Examining Panel of RACP, Chair of Advanced Training Committee of RACP and conjoint senior lecturer UNSW.

Examples of Research Publications

• Donor and recipient views on their relationship following living kidney donation: thematic synthesis of qualitative studies Ralph A, Butow P, Hanson CS, Chadban SJ, Chapman JR, Craig JC, Kanellis J, Luxton G, Tong A.. Am J Kidney Dis. 2017 May;69(5):602-616
• Long-term outcomes of kidney transplant recipients with end-stage kidney disease attributed to presumed/advanced glomerulonephritis or unknown cause. Lim WH, Wong G, McDonald SP, Chakera A, Luxton G, Isbel NM, Pilmore HL, Barbour T, Hughes P, Chadban SJ. Sci Rep. 2018 Jun 13;8 (1):9021
• Living kidney donor and recipient perspectives on their relationship: Longitudinal semi-structured interviews. Ralph, A. F., Butow, P., Craig, J. C., Wong, G., Chadban, S. J., Luxton, G.,Tong, A. (2019). BMJ Open, 9(4). doi:10.1136/bmjopen-2018-026629
• Cystatin C kidney functional reserve: a simple method to predict outcome in chronic kidney disease. Christiadi D, Simpson C, O’brien K, Taylor K, Luxton G, Rossleigh M, Erlich J, Endre Z. Nephrology Dialysis Transplantation 2021 1-7
• Chronic kidney disease: Detection, prevention and early-stage management. Chung, E., Ha, J., Pok, K., & Luxton, G. Medicine Today, 2020 21(10), 31-36.

Dr Sara Stoler is a general and transplant nephrologist. She graduated from medicine cum laude at the University of Witwatersrand of South Africa in 2010. She initially specialised as a general physician followed by nephrology subspecialty training in 2017. She undertook her Masters thesis graduating with distinction in 2018 in the field of renal transplantation. After coming to Australia she completed a fellowship in renal transplantation followed by an additional fellowship in Renal Supportive Care, both at Royal Prince Alfred Hospital in Sydney. She has a special interest in renal transplantation, chronic kidney disease, high blood pressure, vasculitis/ glomerulonephritis, dialysis and renal supportive care.

Examples of Research Publications

Nutrition in the management of kidney transplant recipients. Stoler S, Chan M, Chadban S. J Ren Nutrition 2023 Nov.

Protracted COVID-19 pneumonitis early post ABO incompatible kidney transplantation: Management considerations and the role of whole genome sequencing. Stoler S, Van Hal S, Chadban S, Marinellli T, et al. Aug 2023

Acute Kidney Injury during the COVID 19 pandemic-experience from 2 tertiary centers in South Africa, Diana N, Moola I, Saffer S et al. 2020

Utility of serum creatinine and proteinuria in the evaluation of late period allograft dysfunction. Saffer S, Davies M. 2015

Histological patterns associated with late period renal allograft dysfunction and loss, Saffer S, Davies M.2015

Staff Specialist Nephrologist

Director of Renal/Kidney Supportive Care Services

Senior Lecturer (Conjoint) in Medicine, UNSW

Dr Yong is a transplant nephrologist and director of Kidney Supportive Care Service at Prince of Wales Hospital. He has interests in clinical based research specifically in the fields of inflammation and cardiovascular disease in advanced chronic kidney disease, dialysis and transplant patients.

Examples of Research Publications

• The Controversies of Coronary Artery Disease in End-Stage Kidney Disease Patients: A Narrative Review, Hirsch D, Lau B, Kushwaha V, Yong K; Rev Cardio Med 2023 (in press)
• The Effects Of Omega-3 Fatty Acid Supplementation Upon Interleukin-12 And Interleukin-18 In Chronic Kidney Disease Patients, Yong K, Mori B, Chew G, Beilin L J, Puddey I, Watts G F, Irish A, Dogra G, Boudville N, Lim W; J Ren Nutr 2019, 29; 5: 377-385
• Increased Inflammatory Response In Association With The Initiation Of Haemodialysis Compared With Peritoneal Dialysis In A Prospective Study Of End-Stage Kidney Disease Patients, Yong K, Dogra G, Boudville N, Lim W; Perit Dial Int 2018, 38 (1): 18-23
• Diagnostic Accuracies Of Glycated Haemoglobin, Fructosamine, and Homeostasis Model Assessment Of Insulin Resistance In Predicting Impaired Fasting Glucose, Impaired Glucose Tolerance, Or New Onset Diabetes After Transplantation, Rottenstein K, Viecelli A, Yong K, Nguyen HD, Chakera A, Chan D, Dogra G, Lim EM, Wong G, Lim WH; Transplantation 2016 100: 1571-1579
• Elevated Interleukin-12 & Interleukin-18 In Chronic Kidney Disease Are Not Associated With Arterial Stiffness, Yong K, Ooi E, Dogra G, Mannion M, Boudville N, Chan D, Lim EM, Lim WH; Cytokine 2013 64: 39-42