Ronald Falk

Division of Nephrology, University of North Carolina Medical School, United States of America

Ronald Falk

Academic positions:
- Chief, University of North Carolina Medical School Division of Nephrology and Hypertension
- Director, University of North Carolina Kidney Center
- Doc J. Thurston Professor of Medicine, Professor of Pathology, School of Medicine
- Chief, Division of Nephrology & Hypertension
- Chief, Division of Pediatric Nephrology

Any industry positions (last five years):
None declared

Research interests:
Dr. Falk's research probes questions focused on immune mediated kidney diseases, especially glomerulonephritis. His clinical and basic science interests include both ANCA glomerulonephritis and small vessel vasculitis (SVV). A central objective of Dr Falk's research is elucidating the causes of ANCA necrotizing and crescentic glomerulonephritis. Unraveling the cause of this disease requires considering a number of factors involved in the devolpment of ANCA glomerulonephritis. Dr Falk conceptualizes this process as opening the vasculitis lock with a key that has a number of "ridges and valleys" analogous to those factors that contribute to the development of this autoimmune disease. He participates in a research group that, in a large study over the last four years has revealed a number of avenues of investigation and new approaches to ongoing questions that pertain not only to ANCA glomerulonephritis, but to the general fields of autoimmunity, inflammation and basic neutrophil and monocyte biology.

Any other information:

Any competing interests declared are displayed with individual evaluations.

Section Head: Nephrology > Renal Immunology & Pathology (inc. Glomerular Diseases) (since 16 November 2005)

Ronald Falk is a Section Head for Renal Immunology & Pathology (inc. Glomerular Diseases), part of the NEPHROLOGY Faculty. The role of a Section Head is to work with their Co-Section Head(s) to divide the Section (sub-specialty area) into its component areas of research, nominate leaders in those areas as Faculty Members, and offer ongoing oversight of the content within their Section. They are not asked to evaluate articles, although we do, of course, welcome them.

Links

http://www.pathology.unc.edu/common/falk.htm