Nephrology adds new faces

John Bissler, MD, was recently named the new chief of Pediatric Nephrology at Le Bonheur Children's. He comes to Memphis from Cincinnati Children’s Hospital Medical Center and will also serve as a professor at the University of Tennessee Health Science Center (UTHSC). His research interests include proliferative renal diseases, polycystic kidney disease, tuberous sclerosis complex, Von HippelLindau disease, Birt Hogg-Dube syndrome and renal cancers. Bissler replaces Robert Wyatt, MD, who retired as chief after 29 years in the division.

Nephrologist David Hains, MD, comes to Le Bonheur from Nationwide Children’s Hospital. His NIHfunded research interests focus on DNA copy number variations in genes important to our immune system. Specifically, using genetic signatures of pediatric patients with vesicoureteral reflux enrolled in the RIVUR study, Hains will begin determining why some patients develop recurrent urinary tract infections and subsequent renal scarring while the vast majority have no problems. Hains will also serve as the Pediatric Nephrology Fellowship Training Program director and as an associate professor at UTHSC.