Biography
Dr. Brakeman is an Associate Professor based at the UCSF Benioff Children's Hospital with a primary appointment in Pediatrics and a secondary appointment in the Division of Nephrology in the Department of Medicine. He completed his undergraduate training at UC Berkeley in biophysics before entering a combined MD/PhD program at the Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine. His thesis work consisted of evaluating the role of immediate early genes in learning and memory during brain development. He completed his MD and PhD degrees in 1997 before coming to UCSF to pursue residency in the Department of Pediatrics. Dr. Brakeman served as chief resident in pediatrics in 2000-2001 and then went on to become a fellow in the Division of Pediatric Nephrology at UCSF. During his fellowship, Dr. Brakeman began his renal research career, studying kidney development and the molecular mechanisms of kidney morphogenesis. Dr. Brakeman joined the UCSF faculty after completing his fellowship in 2004.
Since joining the UCSF faculty, Dr. Brakeman has developed clinical expertise in the evaluation and treatment of pediatric dialysis patients, pediatric chronic kidney disease, urinary tract infections and obstructive nephropathy.
Education
Institution | Degree | Dept or School | End Date |
---|---|---|---|
John Hopkins University | M.D. | School of Medicine | 1997 |
University of California, San Francisco | Residency | School of Medicine |
Board Certifications
American Board of Pediatrics - General Pediatrics
American Board of Pediatrics - Pediatric Nephrology Subspecialty
Awards & Honors
Award | Conferred By | Date |
---|---|---|
Top Doctor | Marin Magazine | 2019 |
Top Doctor | San Francisco Magazine | 2019 |
Designated Nephrotic Syndrome Expert | Nephcure Kidney International | 2018 |
Excellence in Teaching Award | Haile T. Debas Academy of Medical Educators | 2016 |
Clinical Expertise
Chronic kidney disease
Obstructive nephropathy
Pediatric dialysis
Systemic lupus erythematous
Urinary tract infection
In the News
Grants and Funding
- The Role of Nectin in Congenital Obstructive Nephropathy | NIH | 2004-09-01 - 2010-11-30 | Role: Principal Investigator
Research Narrative
The primary focus of Dr. Brakeman's research is the engineering of human renal epithelial cells for use in a bioartificial kidney. Work is currently underway at UCSF on a multi-center project to develop a bioartificial implantable renal assist device based on hemofiltration. One of the important components of an implantable bioartificial device is an active renal proximal tubule cell bioreactor that can provide some of the metabolic activity of renal tubules. Another critical function of the cellular bioreactor will be the reabsorption of salt and water in order to reduce the volume of the filtrate generated as much as possible before elimination via the bladder. Dr. Brakeman's lab is focused on engineering human proximal tubules cells to enhance sodium and water reabsorption for use in the bioartificial kidney. In addition, he is actively evaluating the use of the proximal tubule cell bioreactor for use in toxicology and pharmaceutical evaluation of novel compounds.
Dr. Brakeman's work is funded by the Roger's Family Foundation.
Research Interests
Kidney development
Artificial kidney engineering
Sodium and water transport
Publications
- Afadin orients cell division to position the tubule lumen in developing renal tubules.| | PubMed
- Laser acupuncture reduces pain in pediatric kidney biopsies: a randomized controlled trial.| | PubMed
- A modular microfluidic bioreactor with improved throughput for evaluation of polarized renal epithelial cells.| | PubMed
- Preliminary Diffusive Clearance of Silicon Nanopore Membranes in a Parallel Plate Configuration for Renal Replacement Therapy.| | PubMed
- Host cell polarity proteins participate in innate immunity to Pseudomonas aeruginosa infection.| | PubMed
- Acute changes in blood pressure in patients with neuroblastoma treated with ¹³¹I-metaiodobenzylguanidine (MIBG).| | PubMed
- De novo lumen formation and elongation in the developing nephron: a central role for afadin in apical polarity.| | PubMed
- Synaptotagmin-like proteins control the formation of a single apical membrane domain in epithelial cells.| | PubMed
- Preso1 dynamically regulates group I metabotropic glutamate receptors.| | PubMed
- p120 catenin is required for normal renal tubulogenesis and glomerulogenesis.| | PubMed