The Division of Nephrology at the University of Alabama at Birmingham is home to more than 50 outstanding nephrologists who are committed to the highest ideals of academic medicine.
The Division of Nephrology at the University of Alabama at Birmingham was established in 1970 with Dr. Thomas E. Andreoli as the first Division Chief (1970-1979). Prior to 1970, there was a Renal and Electrolyte Division at the University of Alabama at Birmingham Heersink School of Medicine and Dr. H. Victor Murdaugh was the Director of this Division from 1958-1965 and Dr. Allan G. Ramsay from 1965-1970. Dr. Jean McNeil Morgan directed the artificial kidney unit at the University of Alabama at Birmingham (then called the Medical College of Alabama) from 1960-1962 and was succeeded by Dr. H. Walker Brown.
During Dr. Andreoli’s tenure as Division Chief, he established the Nephrology Research and Training Center in 1976. He was succeeded by Dr. Robert G. Luke who served as Division Chief from 1979-1988, by Dr. David G. Warnock from 1988-2008 and by Dr. Anupam Agarwal from 2008-2021. Under the leadership of these outstanding Division directors, the Division has experienced tremendous growth and enhancement of the clinical, research and educational programs.
Research within the Division of Nephrology and the Nephrology Research and Training Center played an important role in the research careers of four Homer Smith awardees, Drs. Andreoli, James Schafer, Steven C. Hebert and Rene Bindels.
The Division now has a multi-disciplinary group of faculty that provides state-of-the-art clinical care, research in basic and clinical aspects of nephrology and transplantation, teaching, and disease management for patients with diverse types of kidney disease.
On October 1, 2021, Dr. Orlando Gutierrez, Marie Ingalls Endowed Chair in Nephrology, became the fifth Chief of Division of Nephrology.
We are proud to report that UAB's nationally ranked kidney disease program has once again been listed among the best in the country by U.S. News & World Report.