Dr. Ghahramani is an academic transplant nephrologist with Master of Sciences in Health Evaluation Sciences. His immediate goal during the proposed grant period is to conduct research to further understand the impact of physician-specific and patient-specific processes that contribute to geographic differences in the choice of kidney transplantation as a treatment option.
The aims of the research project are: 1) to compare perceptions of patient suitability for transplant by nephrologists in rural Appalachia with urban areas and to quantify the effect of these differences on referral of patients for transplant;2) to understand the impact of differences in perceptions of patients in rural Appalachia and urban areas on choosing transplant as a treatment option.
These aims will be achieved through analysis of survey data and focus group studies. The candidate's long-term career goal is to lead interdisciplinary patient-oriented research to improve delivery of transplantation care. The proposed career development plan will provide an in-depth research and training experience enabling him to attain this goal. The institution is committed to the candidate's success and has enormous research strengths in the area of the proposed research. The candidate will utilize the resources of the Penn State Population Research Institute and the Survey Research Center, both of which are among the most outstanding research and training programs in the country. His mentors have expertise in survey research, demography, social psychology, healthcare disparities and longitudinal data analysis. He has developed a training program that will supplement his previous coursework through directed study with his mentors, additional formal course work, seminars, and the conduct of the research plan. The candidate has demonstrated commitment to a career in research and professional development. He has completed the NIH-funded K30-MS program and the one-year Junior Faculty Development Program. His clinical expertise relating to nephrology and transplantation, combined with the knowledge and skills he has gained from the K30 program and the formal training in statistics, epidemiology, and survey design have laid the groundwork toward his success as an independent investigator.

Public Health Relevance

This research seeks to improve identification of factors that impact transplant rates. The findings are expected to result in proposals for innovative, culturally tailored interventions to improve physician and patient perceptions about transplantation. This is expected to lead to improved outcomes, and reduced disparities in transplantation, a goal consistent with the priorities of The NIDDK Healthy People 2010.

Agency
National Institute of Health (NIH)
Institute
National Institute of Diabetes and Digestive and Kidney Diseases (NIDDK)
Type
Mentored Patient-Oriented Research Career Development Award (K23)
Project #
5K23DK084300-04
Application #
8299131
Study Section
Diabetes, Endocrinology and Metabolic Diseases B Subcommittee (DDK)
Program Officer
Rankin, Tracy L
Project Start
2009-09-15
Project End
2014-06-30
Budget Start
2012-07-01
Budget End
2013-06-30
Support Year
4
Fiscal Year
2012
Total Cost
$180,263
Indirect Cost
$13,353
Name
Pennsylvania State University
Department
Internal Medicine/Medicine
Type
Schools of Medicine
DUNS #
129348186
City
Hershey
State
PA
Country
United States
Zip Code
17033
Tandon, Ankita; Wang, Ming; Roe, Kevin C et al. (2016) Nephrologists' likelihood of referring patients for kidney transplant based on hypothetical patient scenarios. Clin Kidney J 9:611-5
Ghahramani, Nasrollah; Sanati-Mehrizy, Ali; Wang, Chloe (2014) Perceptions of patient candidacy for kidney transplant in the United States: a qualitative study comparing rural and urban nephrologists. Exp Clin Transplant 12:9-14
Ghahramani, Nasrollah; Wang, Chloe; Sanati-Mehrizy, Ali et al. (2014) Perception about transplant of rural and urban patients with chronic kidney disease; a qualitative study. Nephrourol Mon 6:e15726
Ghahramani, Nasrollah; Karparvar, Zahra; Ghahramani, Mehrdad et al. (2013) International survey of nephrologists' perceptions and attitudes about rewards and compensations for kidney donation. Nephrol Dial Transplant 28:1610-21
Ismail-Beigi, Faramarz; Ghahramani, Nasrollah (2013) Impact of quality mentorship on achievements of Shiraz Medical School in the 1970s and the role of Professors Khosrow Nasr and Asghar Rastegar. Arch Iran Med 16:251-3
Working Group on Incentives for Living Donation; Matas, Arthur J; Satel, Sally et al. (2012) Incentives for organ donation: proposed standards for an internationally acceptable system. Am J Transplant 12:306-12
Spatz, Christin; Saadulla, Lawand; Lapsiwala, Apurva et al. (2012) Effect of renin-angiotensin-aldosterone system blockade therapy on incidence of contrast-induced nephropathy in patients with chronic kidney disease. Iran J Kidney Dis 6:432-6
Ghahramani, Nasrollah; Rizvi, S Adibul Hasan; Padilla, Benita (2012) Paid donation: a global view. Adv Chronic Kidney Dis 19:262-8
Ghahramani, Nasrollah; Ahmed, Faris; Al-Laham, Ammar et al. (2011) The epidemiological association of altitude with chronic kidney disease: Evidence of protective effect. Nephrology (Carlton) 16:219-24
Uemura, Tadahiro; Ramprasad, Varun; Matsushima, Kazuhide et al. (2011) Single dose of alemtuzumab induction with steroid-free maintenance immunosuppression in pancreas transplantation. Transplantation 92:678-85

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