Clinical Focus


  • Nephrology
  • Glomerulonephritis

Academic Appointments


Administrative Appointments


  • Medical Director, Quality Improvement (2018 - Present)
  • Member, Medical Professional Practice Evaluation Committee (PPEC) (2016 - Present)
  • Medical Director, Satellite Menlo Park Dialysis Unit (2016 - Present)

Professional Education


  • Medical Education: University of Missouri Kansas City School of Medicine (2007) MO
  • Fellowship: Brown University Dept of Nephrology (2013) RI
  • Residency: Brown University Internal Medicine Residency (2011) RI
  • Board Certification: American Board of Internal Medicine, Nephrology (2014)
  • Board Certification: American Board of Internal Medicine, Internal Medicine (2013)
  • Internship: St Louis University School of Medicine (2009) MO
  • Fellowship, Rhode Island Hospital/Brown University, Nephrology (2013)
  • Residency, Rhode Island Hospital/Brown University, Internal Medicine (2011)
  • Board Certification, Nephrology, American Board of Internal Medicine
  • Board Certification, Internal Medicine, American Board of Internal Medicine

Clinical Trials


  • A Study to Learn More About the Safety and Effects of Felzartamab in Adults With Lupus Nephritis Aged 18 to 75 Years Old Not Recruiting

    In this study, researchers will learn more about the use of felzartamab in people with active lupus nephritis, also known as LN. In people with LN, antibodies build up in the glomeruli of the kidneys. Antibodies are proteins in the blood used by the immune system to fight infection. Glomeruli are small filters that remove waste and extra fluid from the blood. This buildup leads to inflammation and damage to the kidneys. Kidney damage can lead to too much protein and blood leaking into the urine. High levels of protein in the urine, called proteinuria, are common in people with LN. Symptoms of LN can include fever, swelling in the legs and body, and high blood pressure. If left untreated, LN can eventually lead to kidney failure. In this study, researchers will learn more about how a study drug called felzartamab affects people with LN. Felzartamab is a monoclonal antibody, which means it is an antibody made in a laboratory. Felzartamab can target immune cells that produce antibodies, helping to lower their buildup in the kidneys. The main goal of this study is to learn more about the safety of felzartamab and how it works in the body of people with LN who are taking standard of care. This will help researchers decide if they should do more studies with felzartamab in people with LN. Standard of care is the usual treatment or care given to patients for a disease, as prescribed by their doctor. The main question researchers want to answer in this study are: • How many participants had adverse events during the study? An adverse event is a health problem that may or may not be caused by the study drug. It can happen during a clinical study or within a certain amount of time after the study has ended. Researchers will also learn more about: * How much felzartamab affects proteinuria and the level of creatinine in the urine. Creatinine is a protein that is released into the blood from normal muscle wear and tear. Its levels can help doctors understand how well your kidneys are working. * How many participants have a complete response. A complete response means that their urine protein levels decrease to a low level, and their kidney function stays stable. * How many participants have a 50% decrease in the level of protein and creatinine in their urine. * How much felzartamab affects the participants' lupus-related blood tests. * How the body processes felzartamab. * How many participants develop antibodies against felzartamab in the blood. This study will be done as follows: * Participants will be screened to check if they can join the study. The screening period will be up to 42 days. * Throughout the study, all participants will continue taking their standard of care, as prescribed by their doctor. * There are 2 parts in this study. In both parts, participants will receive felzartamab through an intravenous infusion, also known as an IV. This means it is being given into a vein. * In Part 1, participants will have up to 14 visits to their study research center. In Part 2, participants may have up to 15 visits. * Each participant will be in the study for about 2 years.

    Stanford is currently not accepting patients for this trial. For more information, please contact Chen, Elizabeth, 816-721-4333.

    View full details

All Publications


  • Current Biomarkers of IgA Nephropathy. Seminars in nephrology Kamal, F., Kim, J., Lafayette, R. 2025: 151572

    Abstract

    IgA nephropathy (IgAN) is the most prevalent primary glomerular disease and has been recognized to carry a poor prognosis. It is therefore critical to identify the patients that will progress to ESKD and start treatments early. The current gold standard for diagnosis remains kidney biopsy. Histopathologic findings along with proteinuria, glomerular filtration rate, and hypertension remain the best-validated biomarkers for prognosis but do not provide enough granularity to guide treatment decisions. The current understanding of the pathophysiology of IgAN with the four-hit hypothesis has helped identify potential additional biomarkers that could become available in the foreseeable future. In this review we detail the existing data for the most promising biomarkers including galactose-deficient IgA1 and its corresponding autoantibody, markers of complement activation, as well as more nascent assays such as MicroRNAs, genomic, and microbiome biomarkers.

    View details for DOI 10.1016/j.semnephrol.2025.151572

    View details for PubMedID 40087126

  • Considering the Treatment of IgA Nephropathy. Clinical journal of the American Society of Nephrology : CJASN Lafayette, R. A., S Kamal, F. 2023

    View details for DOI 10.2215/CJN.0000000000000261

    View details for PubMedID 37533148

  • Updates in Management and Timing of Dialysis in Acute Kidney Injury. Journal of hospital medicine Yu, M. K., Kamal, F., Chertow, G. M. 2019; 14: E1–E7

    Abstract

    Acute kidney injury (AKI) is a common complication in hospitalized patients and is associated with mortality, prolonged hospital length of stay, and increased healthcare costs. This paper reviews several areas of controversy in the identification and management of AKI. Serum creatinine and urine output are used to identify and stage AKI by severity. Although standardized definitions of AKI are used in research settings, these definitions do not account for individual patient factors or clinical context which are necessary components in the assessment of AKI. After treatment of reversible causes of AKI, patients with AKI should receive adequate volume resuscitation with crystalloid solutions. Balanced crystalloid solutions generally prevent severe hyperchloremia and could potentially reduce the risk of AKI, but additional studies are needed to demonstrate a clinical benefit. Intravenous albumin may be beneficial in patients with chronic liver disease either to prevent or attenuate the severity of AKI; otherwise, the use of albumin or other colloids (eg, hydroxyethyl starch) is not recommended. Diuretics should be used to treat volume overload, but they do not facilitate AKI recovery or reduce mortality. Nutrition consultation may be helpful to ensure that patients receive adequate, but not excessive, dietary protein intake, as the latter can lead to azotemia and electrolyte disturbances disproportionate to the patient's kidney failure. The optimal timing of dialysis initiation in AKI remains controversial, with conflicting results from two randomized controlled trials.

    View details for PubMedID 30794134