Rajiv Saran

Dr. Saran is an internationally recognized expert in kidney disease research – specifically, in the area of kidney disease surveillance and epidemiology. From 2014 – 2019, he served as Director of the United States Renal Data System (USRDS; www.usrds.org), a ‘gold standard’ for kidney disease data systems, worldwide. Since 2006 he has been Co-Principal Investigator for the Centers for the Disease Control and Prevention’s (CDC’s) National CKD Surveillance System for the US, a one of a kind project that complements the USRDS, while focusing on upstream surveillance of CKD and its risk factors (www.cdc.org/ckd/surveillance). Both projects have influenced policy related to kidney disease in the US and were cited extensively in the July 2019 Advancing American Kidney Health Federal policy document. Dr. Saran led the development of the first National Kidney Disease Information System (VA-REINS), for the Department of Veterans Affairs (VA), funded by the VA’s Center for Innovation, and one that led to the VA recognizing the importance of kidney disease as a health priority for US veterans. Dr. Saran has recently (2018-2021) been funded on a spin off project from VA REINS for investigation of ‘hot-spot’ of kidney disease among US Veterans involving both risk-prediction and geospatial analyses – a modern approach to health system big data being used for prevention and population health improvement, using kidney disease as an example. This approach has broad application for prevention and optimizing management of major chronic diseases.

Accomplishments and Awards

• Mapping the Overlap of Poverty Level and Prevalence of Diagnosed Chronic Kidney Disease Among Medicare Beneficiaries in the United States