Dominic Raj

Dominic Raj, MBBS, MD, DM, DNB, FACP, FASN is the Director of the Division of Kidney Diseases and Hypertension at the George Washington University School of Medicine. He is a Professor of Medicine, Biochemistry & Genetics and Biostatistics and Epidemiology at the GW.

Dr. Raj received his MBBS from the Madurai Medical College, residency in Internal Medicine at the Louisiana State University, Shreveport and a fellowship in nephrology at the University of Toronto. He is an invited Fellow of the American College of Physicians and a Fellow of the American Society of Nephrology. He was named “Innovator in Nephrology” by the American Association of Kidney Patients and recipient of the Peter Lundin Award, one of the highest honors presented to physicians for their significant contributions to the care and wellbeing of patients.

As a researcher, Dr. Raj is devoted to translating scientific discoveries from the laboratory to clinical practice. He is molecular epidemiologist, with specific interest in epigenetics. He is one of the principal investigators in the “Novel therapies in hemodialysis consortium” and the “Pilot Studies in CKD consortium” exploring new therapies for patients with kidney disease under the direction of the National Institute of Health. He is involved in several pivotal studies such as the Systolic Blood Pressure Intervention Trial (SPRINT), Canadian-Australasian Randomized Trial Of Screening Kidney Transplant Candidates for Coronary Artery Disease (CARSK), Cardiac Arrhythmia Monitoring and Related Outcomes in End Stage Renal Disease Patients (CAMRO-ESRD) and APOL1 Long term kidney transplantation outcome Network (APOLLO). During his tenure, he established several international research collaborations and founded the “Mid-Atlantic Kidney Research Consortium” to advance kidney research. He is the recipient of the Distinguished Researcher Award from GW in 2014.

Dr. Raj is an opinion leader in nephrology and has more than 160 peer reviewed publications. He has been invited to speak, organize and chair more than 100 scientific sessions across the world. He has been a visiting professor to more than 30 institutions across the world including Radboud Institute for Molecular Life Sciences, Harvard Medical School, Cornell University, Michigan University and New York University. He has served as a grant reviewer for the National Institute of Health, the European Union, the French Research Agency, the Canadian Center for Innovation and the Welcome Trust.

Dr. Raj is an excellent clinician with specific interest in diabetic nephropathy and complicated hypertension. He has been named Washington Top Doctor multiple times. He established several sub-specialty clinics and expanded the clinical service to Maryland and Virginia. He is pivotal to establishing the kidney transplant program and expansion of extracorporeal therapies at GW. During his tenure at the GW, the Division was recognized as “High Performing” US News and World Report.

Clinical Service

• Chronic Kidney Disease
• Adult Polycystic Kidney Disease  
• Hypertension
• Cardiorenal syndrome
• Diabetic Kidney Disease  

Expertise

• Hypertension
• Cardiorenal Syndrome  
• Novel Dialysis Therapies  

Training

• MBBS- Madurai Medical College, India
• MD- Stanley Medical College, India
• DM- Nephrology, Christian Medical College, India
• DNB- Nephrology, Christian Medical College, India
• Internal Medicine Residency- Louisiana State University, Shreveport, LA
• Fellowship in Nephrology- University of Toronto, Canada

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Research

• The division has expanded the research portfolio by promoting lab-based research and establishing a Clinical Trial Unit within the Division
• Established research collaboration with AstraZeneca research division to conduct basic science and phase II studies
• Partnered with NIH intramural to conduct translational research
• Recruited basic science researchers into the division (first clinical division at GWU to do it)
• Our faculty members have research collaborations with nationally and internationally acclaimed investigators and also have assisted students and young nephrologists from GWU.
• We established the Mid-Atlantic Kidney Research Consortium formed by GWU, Georgetown University, Howard University, University of Virginia, Inova Health Care system, University of Maryland and Johns Hopkins University to foster collaborative research. Originally conceived for the Precision Medicine Project, it has yielded two projects “CAMARO study” and “APOLLO study”
• Last year the faculty members published 55 manuscripts in peer reviewed journals and 30 abstracts in national meetings. Annual research funding for the division is about 3.3 million dollars at present and we expect it to increase it by 2018.
• Urine single cell transcriptomics to characterize podocyte disease. GW Office of Research and NIH Intramural. PI Regunathan
• Uremic Toxin Depletion by Methanogenic Archaea. Young Investigator Award from NKF. PI Ali Ramezani
• Renal G Protein-Coupled Receptor 37L1 Regulates Blood Pressure. NIH R56DK116828, PI: Prasad Konkalmatt
• A peripheral dopamine ? hydroxylase inhibitor and treatment of pulmonary arterial hypertension. PI, BIAL, Inc, Porto, Portugal, 2019-202; PI: Pedro A. Jose
• G-protein coupled receptor kinase 4 inhibitor, National International Cooperation Base for Cardiovascular Diseases” Collaborator, PI, Chunyu Zeng, Third Military Medical University, Chongqing, China, 2017-2019, Collaborator: Pedro A. Jose
• Renal Dopamine-1 Receptor Defect in Hypertension, 5R01 DK039308, 1991-2020, PI: Pedro A. Jose
• Animal Models of Salt Sensitivity: Roles of GRK4 and Sodium Transporters on Salt Sensitivity, 5P01 HL074940, 2004-2021, PI Pedro A. Jose, Director, Project 3,
• Calcium transport in kidney proximal tubule and calcium phosphate stone formation, 1R01 DK102043, 2015-2020, Consultant- Pedro A. Jose
• Anti-inflammatory therapy in diabetic CKD. NIH U01DK099914. PI Dominic Raj
• Gut microbiota and atherosclerosis in ESRD. NIH U01DK099924. PI Dominic Raj
• SPRINT-Electronic Health Record (SPRINT-EHR). NIH R011HL136679-01A1- Site-PI: Dominic Raj Site PI
• Cardiac Arrhythmia Monitoring and Related Outcomes in Hemodialysis (CAMARO HD). R01HL132372. Site-PI Dominic Raj
• The effects of Patiromer on serum potassium level and gut microbiome of ESRD patients with hyperkalemia. Investigator Initiated Study funded by Relypsa. PI Dominic Raj
• IL-6 pathway genes associated renal, cardiovascular and hematological phenotypes in CKD: Findings from the CRIC study. I Investigator Initiated Study, funded by Carvedia. PI Dominic Raj
• Profiling microbiome in CKD. Investigator Initiated Study funded by Kaleido. PI Dominic Raj
• An observational study to investigate the immunopathophysiology of diabetic kidney disease. Co-developed and funded by Medimmune. PI Dominic Raj
• MicroRNA and progression of atherosclerosis. GW Office of Research. PI Dominic Raj
• APOL1 Long-term Kidney Transplantation Outcomes Network (APOLLO) (APOLLO). NIH PI. Jagadeesan/Raj

Community Service

• Member of the Clinical Integrative Cardiovascular study section
• Board of Directors of the National Kidney Foundation