Ellis D. Avner, MD

Nephrology

Titles: Director, Children's Research Institute; professor of Pediatrics and associate dean for research, Medical College of Wisconsin.

Education: Medical degree, University of Pennsylvania School of Medicine, Philadelphia, 1975; residency, The Children's Hospital, Boston, 1975-1978; fellowship, The Children's Hospital, Boston, 1978-1980.

Certifications: National Board of Examiners, 1976; American Board of Pediatrics, 1980; Sub Board of Pediatric Nephrology, 1982.

Research interests: Renal developmental biology, congenital renal anomalies and polycystic kidney disease.

Representative publications (from more than 260 total):

• Sweeney WE, Kusner L, Carlin CR, Chang S, Futey L, Cotton CU, Avner ED. Phenotypic Analysis of Conditionally Immortalized Cells Isolated from the BPK Model of ARPKD. American Journal of Physiology 281:C1695-1705, 2001.
• Onuchic LF, Furu L, Nagasawa Y, Hou X, Eggerman T, Ren Z, Bergmann C, Sanderek J, Esquivel E, Zeltner R, Rudnic-Schoneborn S, Mrug M, Sweeney W, Avner ED, Zerres K, Guay-Woodford LM, Somio S, Germino GG. PKHD1, the Polycystic Kidney and Hepatic Disease 1 Gene (PKHD1) Encodes a Novel Large Protein Containing Multiple IPT Domains and PbH1 Repeats. American Journal of Human Genetics 70:1305-1317, 2002.
• Torres VE, Sweeney WE, Wang X, Qian Q, Harris PC, Frost P, Avner, ED. EGF Receptor Tyrosine Kinase Inhibition Attenuates the Development of PKD in Han:SPRD Rats. Kidney International 64:1573-1579, 2003.
• Sweeney WE, Hamahira K, Sweeney J, Garcia-Gattell M, Frost P, Avner, ED. Combination Treatment of PKD Utilizing Dual Inhibition of EGF-Receptor Activity and Ligand Bioavailability. Kidney International 64:1310-1319, 2003.
• Dell KM, Nemo R, Sweeney WE, Avner, ED. EGF-Related Growth Factors in the Pathogenesis of Murine ARPKD. Kidney International 65:2018-2029, 2004.
• Sweeney B, Avner ED. Molecular and Cellular Pathophysiology of ARPKD. Cell and Tissue Research 326(3):671-685, 2006.
• Sweeney WE, von Vigier RO, Avner ED. Src Inhibition Ameliorates Autosomal Recessive Polycystic Kidney Disease in the BPK Murine Model. Journal of the American Society of Nephrology. 2006.
• Avner ED, Harmon W, Niaudet P, Yoshikawa N (eds). Pediatric Nephrology, 6th Edition, Springer-Vertag. In press. 

Current grants:

• Principal investigator:  
  The Role of c-Src in the Pathophysiology of ARPKD, Medical College of Wisconsin, Advancing A Healthier Wisconsin, 2006-2008.
• Principal investigator:
  Integrative Biology of Children's Kidney Disease: Research Center of Excellence in Pediatric Nephrology; National Institutes of Health, (1-P50-DK079306) Principal investigator Administrative Core & Project 2: Arachidonic Acid Metabolites in ARPKD; Dates: 2007-2012.

Contact information: Phone (414) 337-7702. Fax (414) 337-7105. E-mail address eavner@mcw.edu