Graduates

I was born in Maracaibo, Venezuela. Upon turning 18, I moved to Bogotá, Colombia where I completed my Medical Degree and Residency Training at Pontifical Javeriana University. In 2019, I moved to Memphis to start my pediatric nephrology training at LeBonheur Children’s, UTHSC. My research is focusing on exploring effect of surgical intervention on renal outcome in Tuberous Sclerosis patients as well the outcome of stomach bypass surgery on the ABPM trends in obese children. Through my QI, I am working on  improving utilization of ABPM in CKD and kidney transplant patients. I like riding bicycles and cooking.

Fellows Awards/Grants

• Le Bonheur Children’s Hospital Intramural Grant: Aslam Qureshi 2016
• PAS Trainee Travel Award: Aslam Qureshi 2017
• The Renal Research Institute Fellows Travel Award, 22nd International Conference for Dialysis and CKD: Amal Ezzaiyani 2020
• The 44th annual dialysis meeting Fellows Travel Award: Amal Ezzaiyani 2020
•  The 44th annual dialysis meeting Fellows Travel Award: Xochitl Castillo 2020

Membership/Leadership

• Xochitl Castillo: member of the patient experience of care committee, Le Bonheur Children’s Hospital
• Amal Ezzaiyani: member hospital quality council committee, LeBonheur Children’s Hospital

I was born and raised in Tripoli, Libya. I attended medical school at the University of Tripoli and completed pediatric residency at Brookdale University Hospital and Medical Center before moving to TN to start my pediatric nephrology fellowship at LeBonheur Children’s’ hospital, UTHSC. My research focus is exploring predisposing factors of postoperative AKI in children undergoing cardiac interventions. My QI project focus is improving communications between different teams involved in care of kidney transplant recipients during admission. My hobbies are reading and learning about different cultures

On January 1, 2012, Dr. James Atherton began first year of training at UTHSC. Dr. Atherton received his B.S. degree in chemical engineering from the University of South Florida in Tampa and his M.D. from Louisiana State University Health Science Center in Shreveport.

In December 2011, he completed his pediatric residency at UTHSC in Memphis. In January 2013, Dr. Atherton began the M.S. program in Biomedical Engineering of the University of Memphis/University of Tennessee College of Graduate Health Sciences to fulfill the research training component of his pediatric nephrology fellowship.

On July 1, 2011, Dr. Sabahat Afshan began her first year of training in pediatric nephrology at the UTHSC. She graduated from medical school at Quaid-E-Azam Medical College Bahawalpur, Pakistan in 1998.

She completed her pediatric residency at the Brooklyn Hospital Center in Brooklyn, New York in 2011. Dr. Afshan?s basic research profect, ?Glomerular Specificity and Function of Anti-DNA Antibody in Pediatric Lupus Nephritis? is being direct Dr. Tony Marion in the Department of Microbiology, Immunology and Biochemistry and extends the work that Dr. Marion recently published in Kidney International with the goal of establishing a biomarker for disease activity in human lupus nephritis.

Publications

Hastings MC, Afshan S, Sanders JT, Kane O, Eison TM, Lau KK, Moldoveanu Z, Julian BA, Novak J, Wyatt RJ: Serum Galactose-Deficient IgA1 Level Is Not Associated with Proteinuria in Children with IgA Nephropathy. International Journal of Nephrology 2012;2012:315467. Epub 2012 Jun 17.

On July 1, 2008, Dr. Matthew Eison began his first year of training in pediatric nephrology at the UTHSC. He graduated from the Medical University of South Carolina in 2000.

On July 1, 2009, Dr. Oulimata Grossman began her first year of training in pediatric nephrology at the UTHSC. She graduated from medical school at Universite Cheikh Anta in Diop, Senegal in 2003.

On July 1, 2004, Dr. Colleen Hastings began her first year of training in pediatric nephrology at the UTHSC. She graduated from the University of Tennessee College of Medicine and was one of the students in her class inducted into Alpha Omega Alpha. She began the UT College of Graduate Health Sciences M.S. in epidemiology program in August of 2005 and was granted her degree in 2008. Her clinical research project is creatinine reduction ratio in pediatric renal allograft recipients. Her mentoring group includes Dr. Bettina Ault, Dr. Robert Wyatt and Dr. Andrew Bush.

During her first year of training, Dr. Hastings' clinical research project was on Thymoglobulin induction therapy for high-risk pediatric renal allograft recipients. She presented the findings of this project at a poster session the 2005 meeting of the American Society of Pediatric Nephrology/Pediatric Academic Societies - Hastings MC, Jones DP, Wyatt RJ, Ault BH: Thymoglobulin induction for cadaveric renal transplantation in African American children. Dr. Hastings completed the University of Tennessee College of Graduate Health Science’s Master’s of Science program in Epidemiology in during her fellowship.

Publications

Lau KK, Jones DP, Hastings MC, Gaber LW, Ault BH: Short term outcomes of severe lupus nephritis in a cohort of predominately African-American children. Pediatric Nephrology 21: 655-662, 2006

McGlothan KR, Wyatt RJ, Ault BH, Hastings MC, Rogers T, DiSessa T, Jones DP: Predominance of nocturnal hypertension in pediatric renal allograft recipients. Pediatric Transplantation 10: 655-667, 2006

Lau KK, Delos Santos NM, Hastings MC, Ault BH, Jones DP, Roy III S, Ault BH, Wyatt RJ: Tularemia infection in a pediatric patient with chronic renal insufficiency and inguinal lymphadenopathy. Infectious Diseases in Clinical Practice 14: 248-250, 2006

Lau KK, Hastings MC, Arnold SL, Jones DP, Boulden T, Shokouh-Amiri H, Wyatt RJ, Ault BH: Bartonella infection presenting With prolonged fever in a pediatric renal transplant recipient. Internet Journal of Infectious Diseases 5: 1, 2006

Hastings MC, Wyatt RJ, Jones DP, Lau KK, Powell SL, Hayes DW, Gaber LW, Gaber AO, Ault BH: Five years' experience with Thymoglobulin induction in a pediatric renal transplant population. Pediatric Transplantation 10: 805-810, 2006

Hastings MC, Delos Santos NM, Wyatt RJ: Renal survival in pediatric patients with IgA nephropathy (letter). Pediatric Nephrology 22: 317-318, 2007 (letter)

Hastings MC, Wyatt RJ, Ault BH, Jones DP, Lau KK, Gaber AO, Gaber LW: Diagnosis of de novo localized thrombotic microangiopathy by surveillance biopsy. Pediatric Nephrology 22: 742-746, 2007

Moldoveanu Z, Wyatt RJ, Lee J, Tomana M, Julian BA, Mestecky J, Huang W-Q, Anreddy SR, Hall S, Hastings MC, Lau KK, Cook WJ, Novak J: Elevated serum levels of galactose-deficient IgA in patients with IgA nephropathy. Kidney International 71: 1148-1154, 2007

Spencer JD, Hastings MC, Rye AK, English K, Ault BH: Gastroenteritis caused by Edwardsiella tarda in a pediatric renal transplant recipient. Pediatric Transplantation 152: 343-348, 2008

Richey PA, DiSessa TG, Hastings MC, Somes GW, Alpert BS, Jones DP: Ambulatory blood pressure and increased left ventricular mass in children atrisk for hypertension. Journal of Pediatrics 152: 343-348, 2008

Williams MA, Giel DW, Hastings MC: Endoscopic Deflux injection for pediatric transplant reflux: A feasible alternative to open ureteral reimplant. Journal of Pediatric Urology 4: 341-344, 2008

Presentations

Hastings MC, Jones DP, Wyatt RJ, Ault BH: Thymoglobulin induction for cadaveric renal transplantation in African American children, Pediatric Academic Societies/American Society of Pediatric Nephrology, 2005 (poster)

Hastings MC, Ault BH, Jones DP, Wyatt RJ, Gaber LW: Surveillance biopsy in African American pediatric renal transplant recipients. American Society of Nephrology, 2005 (poster)

Hastings MC, Jones DP, Wyatt RJ, Gaber O, Ault BH: Creatinine reduction ratios in a pediatric transplant population. World Transplant Congress, 2006 (poster)

Hastings MC, Wyatt RJ, Shorr RI: Management of diabetes mellitus by primary providers in the 2003 and 2004 National Ambulatory Medical Care Surveys (NAMCS). American Society of Nephrology, 2006 (poster)

Wyatt RJ, Moldoveanu Z, Hastings MC, Novak J, Renfrow MB, Barker C, Woodford SY, Mestecky J, Julian BA: Galactose-deficient IgA1 in adults with IgA nephropathy (IgAN). American Society of Nephrology, 2006 (poster)

Hastings MC, Richey PA, DiSessa TG, Somes GW, Alpert BS, Jones DP: Prediction of increased left ventricular mass by ambulatory blood pressure (ABP) in youth at risk for hypertension (HTN). Pediatric Academic Societies/American Society of Pediatric Nephrology, 2007 (platform)

Jones DP, Richey PA, Hastings MC, Alpert BS, Li R: Serum uric acid and ambulatory blood pressure in children at risk for hypertension. Platform presentation at the annual meeting of the Pediatric Academic Societies/American Society of Pediatric Nephrology, 2008 (platform)

Present Position

Dr. Hastings is an Assistant Professor of Pediatrics and Internal Medicine at the University of Tennessee Health Science Center.

On July 1, 2003, Dr. Keith Lau began his first year of training in pediatric nephrology at the UTHSC. Dr. Lau graduated from medical school in Hong Kong and completed his pediatric residency training at the University of Tennessee, Chattanooga. The second and third year of his fellowship consists of basic research training in the laboratory of Dr. Hiroko Nishimura. During his first two years of fellowship training Dr. Lau has been extremely productive with respect to publications that include first author on two case series, one review article and several case reports. He has presented first author work the annual meetings of the Pediatric Academic Societies (2004 and 2005), the American Society of Nephrology (2004 and 2005), and the Federation of Societies of Experimental Biology (2005). He has obtained competitive local funding from the Le Bonheur Children's Hospital ($10,000 in 2004 and the $15,000 Accredo scholar award in 2005) and the National Kidney Foundation of West Tennessee to support his research in Dr. Nishimura’s laboratory. 

Publications

Lau KK, Gaber LW, Delos Santos NM, Fisher KA, Grimes SJ, Wyatt RJ: Pediatric IgA nephropathy: clinical features at presentation and outcome for African-Americans and Caucasians. Clinical Nephrology 62: 167-172, 2004

Lau KK, Kink RJ, Jones: Myoclonus associated with intraperitoneal imipenem. Pediatric Nephrology 19: 700-701, 2004

Lau KK, Gaber LW, Delos Santos NM and Wyatt RJ: C1q nephropathy: Features at presentation and outcome. Pediatric Nephrology 20: 744-749, 2005

Lau KK and Wyatt RJ: Glomerulonephritis. Adolescent Medicine Clinics 16: 67-85, 2005

Lau KK, Weiss AR, Jones DP: Polyuria associated with high-dose methotrexate in two patients with acute lymphoblastic leukaemia. Journal of Oncology Pharmacy Practice 11: 31-33, 2005

Lau KK, Ault BH, Jones DP: Polymicrobial peritonitis including Pantoea agglomerans from teething on a catheter. Southern Medical Journal 98: 580-581, 2005

Lau KK, Delos Santos NM: Post-infectious acute glomerulonephritis with predominant mesangial deposition of IgA. Clinical and Experimental Nephrology 9: 262-263, 2005

Lau KK, Wyatt RJ, Gaber LW: Biopsy Teaching Case: Purpura followed by proteinuria in a 7 year old girl. American Journal of Kidney Diseases 46: 1140-1144, 2005

Lau KK, Escue EJ, Ault BH, Jones DP, Storgion SA: Argatroban in post-cardiovascular surgery patient with heparin-induced thrombocytopenia requiring hemodialysis and continuous hemofiltration. Journal of Pharmacy Technology 21: 213-216

Lau KK, Ault BH: Teaching case: A child with recurrent episodes of dark urine: question. Pediatric Nephrology 21: 271, 2005

Lau KK, Ault BH: Teaching case: A child with recurrent episodes of dark urine: answer. Pediatric Nephrology 21: 272-274. 2005

Lau KK, Delos Santos NM: Pediatric C1q nephropathy and incidental proteinuria (letter). Pediatric Nephrology 21: 883, 2006

Lau KK, Jones DP, Hastings MC, Gaber LW, Ault BH: Short term outcomes of severe lupus nephritis in a cohort of predominately African-American children. Pediatric Nephrology 21: 655-662, 2006

Lau KK, Delos Santos NM, Hastings MC, Ault BH, Jones DP, Roy III S, Ault BH, Wyatt RJ: Tularemia infection in a pediatric patient with chronic renal insufficiency and inguinal lymphadenopathy. Infectious Diseases in Clinical Practice 14: 248-256

Lau KK, Hastings MC, Arnold SL, Jones DP, Boulden T, Shokouh-Amiri H, Wyatt RJ, Ault BH: Bartonella infection presenting With prolonged fever in a pediatric renal transplant recipient. The Internet Journal of Infectious Diseases 5: 1

Hastings MC, Wyatt RJ, Jones DP, Lau KK, Powell SL, Hayes DW, Gaber LW, Gaber AO, Ault BH: Five years' experience with Thymoglobulin induction in a pediatric renal transplant population. Pediatric Transplantation 10: 805-810, 2006

Hastings MC, Wyatt RJ, Ault BH, Jones DP, Lau KK, Gaber AO, Gaber LW: Diagnosis of de novo localized thrombotic microangiopathy by surveillance biopsy. Pediatric Nephrology 22: 742-746, 2007

Moldoveanu Z, Wyatt RJ, Lee J, Tomana M, Julian BA, Mestecky J, Huang W-Q, Anreddy SR, Hall S, Hastings MC, Lau KK, Cook WJ, Novak J: Elevated serum levels of galactose-deficient IgA in patients with IgA nephropathy. Kidney International 71: 1148-1154, 2007

Lau K, Jones D, Gaber O, Nezakatgoo N: Use of a “composite” vascular access graft in a young child on hemodialysis. Hemodialysis International 11: 190-192, 2007

Nishimura H, Yang Y, Lau K, Kuykindoll RJ, Fan Z, Yamaguchi K, Yamamoto T: Aquaporin-2 water channel in developing quail kidney: possible role in programming adult homeostasis. American Journal of Physiology: Regulatory, Integrative and Comparative Physiology 293: R2147-R2158, 2007

Lau KK, Yang Y, Cook GA, Wyatt RJ, Nishimura H: Control of aquaporin 2 expression in collecting ducts of quail kidneys. General and Comparative Endocrinology 160: 288-294, 2009

Presentations

Lau KK, Gaber LW, Wyatt RJ: Clinico-pathological features and outcomes of C1q nephropathy in a single pediatric center. American Society of Nephrology, 2004 (poster)

Lau KK, Gaber LW, Delos Santos NM, Fisher KA, Grimes SJ and Wyatt RJ: Comparison of IgA nephropathy (IgAN) in Caucasians (Cau) and African-Americans (AA) diagnosed since 1990. Pediatric Academic Societies/American Society of Pediatric Nephrology, 2004 (poster)

Lau K, Yang Y, Thomason D, Wyatt R, Nishimura H: Differential increase in the mammalian type nephrons in avian kidney. Federation of Societies of Experimental Biology, 2005 (poster)

Lau KK, Gaber LW, Pleming CR, Jones DP, Ault BH: Clinical features and short term outcomes of severe lupus nephritis (LN) in a pediatric center with predominantly African-American (AA) patients (pts). Pediatric Academic Societies/American Society of Pediatric Nephrology, 2005 (poster)

Lau KK, Yang Y, Wyatt RJ, Nishimura H: Characterization of the functions of the aquaporin system in quail kidneys. American Society of Nephrology, 2005 (poster)

Lau K, Yang Y, Cook G, Wyatt R, Nishimura H: Hormonal control of aquaporin 2 requires advanced tubular structures in avian kidneys. Southern Society of Clinical Investigation (SSCI) Nephrology Young Investigators' Forum (platform), March 2, 2006 and the Southern Society for Pediatric Research, March 5, 2006 (platform), Atlanta, GA. Dr. Lau received a travel grant from the SSCI to attend both meetings.

Lau K, Yang Y, Cook G, Wyatt R, Nishimura H: Differential control by ADH of looped and loopless nephrons in quail kidneys. Federation of Societies of Experimental Biology Meeting, 2006 (poster)

Lau K, Moldoveanu Z, Wyatt R, Huang WQ, Tomana M, Mestecky J, Lee J, Julian B, Novak J: Elevated serum concentration of Helix aspersa lectin-binding IgA1 (HAA-IgA1) in pediatric patients (pts) with HSP nephritis (HSPN). Platform presentation at the annual Pediatric Academic Societies/American Society of Pediatric Nephrology, 2006 (platform)

Present Position

Dr. Lau is an Division Chief of Pediatric Nephrology and Associate Professor of Pediatrics at McMaster University, Hamilton, Ontario, Canada.

Brody School of Medicine, MD 2000
Tripler Army Medical Center, pediatrics residency, 2000-2003

Dr. Sanders' second and third years were supported by a fellowship training grant from the National Kidney Foundation. He completed the University of Tennessee College of Graduate Health Science’s Master’s of Science program in Epidemiology in during his fellowship.