Research has always been an important mission of the Nephrology Division at Baystate Medical Center.  Currently there are over 30 on-going clinical trials studying different formulations for treating hyperparathyroidism in chronic dialysis patients, iron repletion therapy in dialysis patients and new formulations to treat the anemia of renal failure in both predialysis and dialysis patients.

The Nephrology Division participates in several national clinical trials

1. The renal division has been a member of the NIH Dialysis Access Consortium since 2003, studying new ways to prevent dialysis fistula or access graft clotting.

2. The NIH CORAL Trial:  This study randomizes patients with renal artery stenosis to medical therapy or angioplasty with stent.  This is a multicenter trial in the United States (approximately 40 centers).

3. Collaborative Study Group:  The collaborative study group sponsors clinical trials to slow progressive chronic kidney disease.  The IDNT and IRMA trials are examples of these successful trials.

In addition to pharmaceutically-funded research, Drs. Braden and Germain oversee a large research initiative of investigator-initiated research.

In the last 5 years, the faculty in the Baystate Medical Center Renal Division have published 35 peer-reviewed papers in the follow journals:

• New England Journal of Medicine

• Journal of the American Medical Association

• Journal of the American Society of Nephrology

• Clinical Journal of the American Society of Nephrology

• American Journal of Kidney Diseases

• Annals of Internal Medicine

• Nephrology Dialysis and Transplant

• Seminars in Dialysis

• Clinical Infectious Diseases

• Neonatology

• Pediatric Research

• Journal of Palliative Medicine

• Advances in Chronic Kidney Disease

• Preventive Cardiology

• Journal of the American College of Cardiology

In addition, we have published 15 book chapters in various text books, such as the Primer of Kidney Disease and Comprehensive Clinical Nephrology.  Dr. Germain has also been the Chief Editor of the textbook, Supportive Care for the Renal Patient.