Mary Klotman, MD, chair of the Department of Medicine, today announced that Myles Wolf, MD, MMSc, will assume the role of chief of the Division of Nephrology, effective August 1, 2016.
Currently, Dr. Wolf is Margaret Gray Morton Professor of Medicine-Nephrology at the Northwestern University Feinberg School of Medicine, where he also is founding director of the Center for Translational Metabolism and Health in the Institute for Public Health and Medicine.
Wolf was chosen for this leadership role after a rigorous international search.
Dr. Klotman said that Wolf presented an exciting vision for the Division of Nephrology, which has a history steeped in success: “To leverage translational multidisciplinary science to unlock the full potential of Duke Nephrology.”
"He will have my full support, along with the support of the talented faculty, trainees and staff in Nephrology, to achieve that goal," said Klotman. "Myles brings to this leadership role a passion for patient care, a track record for mentoring clinical and basic science trainees that includes his directorship of the Physician-Scientist Training Program in Feinberg’s Department of Medicine, and his own exciting and well-funded research program."
Wolf investigates disordered mineral metabolism across the spectrum of kidney disease with an emphasis on the hormonal regulation of phosphate and vitamin D homeostasis by fibroblast growth factor 23 (FGF23). His translational research team engages in laboratory, patient-oriented, and epidemiological studies, in addition to clinical trials. The work that Wolf and his team have done on the role of FGF23 as a novel mediator of cardiovascular disease in patients with kidney disease is ideally suited for synergy with the Duke O’Brien Center for Kidney Research, which focuses on the kidney-cardiovascular nexus.
His interests and vision will also help pave the way for exciting new collaborations between investigators from Nephrology and the Duke Cardiovascular Research Center, Duke Molecular Physiology Institute, Duke Clinical Research Institute, and the Duke Translational Medicine Institute, among others.
Wolf earned his B.A. in biology from the Johns Hopkins University, his M.D. from the State University of New York, Downstate, and his master of medical science degree in Clinical and Physiological Investigation from Harvard Medical School. He completed his internship and residency, and a fellowship in nephrology, at Massachusetts General Hospital. He joined the faculty of Harvard Medical School and served as visiting scientist at Massachusetts Institute of Technology, then moved to University of Miami Miller School of Medicine, where he ultimately served as assistant dean for translational and clinical research and as chief of the Division of Nephrology and Hypertension. He moved to Northwestern University in 2013.
The Duke Division of Nephrology comprises 24 regular rank faculty, 10 fellows, and 20 staff employees, with a robust research portfolio, clinical practice and NIH-funded training program.
Klotman thanked Steve Smith, MD, MHS, professor of medicine (Nephrology), for his extraordinary efforts as interim chief of the division. Dr. Smith assumed that interim role on January 1, 2015, when the previous chief, Thomas Coffman, MD, stepped down to become dean of the Duke-NUS Medical School.
Klotman also thanked David D’Alessio, MD, professor of medicine and division chief (Endocrinology, Metabolism, and Nutrition) and the other members of the search committee, for their time, effort and commitment in this very important process.