NKF Awards Indiana Registered Dietitian with Kopple Award

NEW YORK, Feb. 7, 2025 /PRNewswire/ -- The National Kidney Foundation (NKF) is pleased to announce that Registered Dietitian, Brandon Kistler, PhD, RD, is the 2025 recipient of the Joel D. Kopple Distinguished Lecture Award.

The Joel D. Kopple Award is an annual award honoring an individual who has made significant contributions to the field of renal nutrition. Dr. Kistler is a Registered Dietitian and Assistant Professor in the Department of Nutrition Science at Purdue University, where he co-directs the Clinical and Translational Nutrition Research Lab. Don't miss Dr. Kistler's Joel D. Kopple Distinguished Lecture: Controversies in the Management of Protein Energy Wasting, on Friday, April 11, 8:45am – 9:45am.

"I am very honored to receive an award named after Dr. Kopple, who has done so much to advance renal nutrition in his incredible career," said Dr. Kistler. "Winning this award is a testament to the generous, talented, and supportive kidney community I have been fortunate enough to work with throughout my career." 

His research, currently funded by organizations including the National Kidney Foundation, focuses on utilizing lifestyle, primarily diet and exercise, to improve the quality of life and outcomes for people with CKD.

"Lifestyle and proper nutrition play such a central role in the prevention and treatment of kidney disease," said Dr. Kirk Campbell, President of the National Kidney Foundation. "Dr. Kistler's work, and his contributions have significantly impacted not only our organization but the lives of countless patients and families.

Dr. Kistler earned his PhD at The University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign, where he held a pre-doctoral fellowship from the American Heart Association. He has held numerous volunteer positions, including co-editor of the Renal Nutrition Forum, the editorial board for the Journal of Renal Nutrition, and chair of the Associate Council, Education Committee, and Social Media Committee for the International Society of Renal Nutrition and Metabolism.

"I am very grateful for the support of The National Kidney Foundation. I use NKF resources nearly every day from the KDOQI guidelines and perspectives, timely continuing education and resources, and even research funding for projects in our lab," said Kistler. "As a researcher, I am constantly motivated by how much there is to learn and inspired by how the kidney community comes together to improve patient care".

Kistler will receive the award among the nephrologist and professionals gathered in Boston for the NKF 2025 Spring Clinical Meetings, April 9 - 13.

NKF Spring Clinical Meetings

For more than 30 years, nephrology healthcare professionals from across the country have come to the NKF Spring Clinical Meetings to learn about the newest developments related to all aspects of nephrology practice; network with colleagues; and present their research findings. The NKF Spring Clinical Meetings are designed for meaningful change in the multidisciplinary and interprofessional healthcare teams' skills, performance, and patient health outcomes. It is the only conference of its kind that focuses on translating science into practice for the entire healthcare team. This year's Spring Clinical Meetings will be held April 9-13 in Boston.

Kidney Disease

In the United States, more than 35 million adults are estimated to have kidney disease, also known as chronic kidney disease (CKD)—and approximately 90 percent don't know they have it. About 1 in 3 adults in the U.S. are at risk for kidney disease. Risk factors for kidney disease include: diabetes, high blood pressure, heart disease, obesity, and family history. People of Black or African American, Hispanic or Latino, American Indian or Alaska Native, Asian American, or Native Hawaiian or Other Pacific Islander descent are at increased risk for developing the disease. Black or African American people are about four times as likely as White people to have kidney failure. Hispanics experience kidney failure at about double the rate of White people.

NKF Professional Membership

Healthcare professionals can join NKF to receive access to tools and resources for both patients and professionals, discounts on professional education, and access to a network of thousands of individuals who treat patients with kidney disease. Visit https://www.kidney.org/membership to learn more and join our community today.

About the National Kidney Foundation

The National Kidney Foundation is revolutionizing the fight to save lives by eliminating preventable kidney disease, accelerating innovation for the dignity of the patient experience, and dismantling structural inequities in kidney care, dialysis, and transplantation. For more information about kidney disease, please visit www.kidney.org/ 

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SOURCE National Kidney Foundation