Ordinary Council Members elections

Candidate CV

Candidate vision
I would not hope to achieve any personal targets, but to contribute to the defence and promotion of our specialty participating in the activities of the Council. As it says in the ERA motto, ERA is the association leading nephrology in Europe. I would like to put my longstanding experience in the Nephology field as a small supplementary resource to the Council, and along with the other Council members, help in the thinking and taking the decisions that we will feel are the best to promote nephrology and make it appealing for our young specialists and adapted and optimised for the patients we are in charge of. I am planning to decrease my clinical duties during 2024 and I thought that this would be a good way to contribute to the adaptation of our specialty to the modifications imposed by the evolution of our society. I would try to get inserted in the team to achieve the goals the Council will decide and contribute as much as I would be able to, to ensure the tasks the Council will think pertinent to request from me.

Candidate CV

Candidate vision
I would like to increase awareness of early detection of chronic kidney disease and develop strategies to influence stakeholders to obtain this goal within the different healthcare systems in Europe.

I would like to develop strategies to influence stakeholders for equitable healthcare for people with chronic kidney disease both for those at CKD stages 1-5 and for those on KRT in Europe.

I would like to increase awareness of the importance of physical activity and exercise training for people with CKD and develop strategies to influence stakeholders within the different European countries.

Finally, I would like to participate in discussing and forming the path forward for the ERA.

Candidate CV

Candidate vision
As a nephrologist involved in the care of CKD for
decades, I will work on improving the care of patients with CKD at various stages: this implies better
detection, better diagnosis, better care, through better
funding favouring multidisciplinary care. I believe that the ERA has a political role in Europe, in connection
with the European Kidney Health Alliance and patients’ associations.
Inequalities in access to healthcare, particularly in the fields of CKD and rare renal diseases are important: I will put all my energy in fighting against these
inequalities, whether they imply countries, centres, or
individuals.
Collaborative studies between countries, centres, and
individual nephrologists are a fantastic way to improve
healthcare, and therefore outcomes, as the DOPPS has
shown over the years. New cohort studies need to
connect omics (genomics, proteomics,
metabolomics…), practices, and outcomes: the ERA
might be a key-acting body in this type of studies, in
connection with the ERA Registry and ERKNet.
Education and scientific information are at the heart of ERA’s missions, and all my career has been devoted to education of students, residents, other physicians, and myself!
Overall, I believe that I may be a very active member
of the Council, in the various fields that are relevant to
the missions of the ERA.

Candidate CV

Candidate vision
ERA is the key organization within Europe to further develop and support activities in nephrology. Kidney disease is a world-wide main problem, which is not as visible as compared to CV-diseases and cancer. But the future of nephrology is bright since we have more and more options to improve the outcome of our patients with kidney diseases. We need to use this momentum to act and Increase the visibility of nephrology in Europe and across the globe. We need nephrological screening programs established to detect kidney. diseases as early as possible. GPs need to be educated and the patient’s way to nephrologists need to be clarified and simplified. Furthermore, we need to educate our future nephrologists on the one hand in clinical skills, but also in science. We need more clinician scientists in nephrology to make the next steps in development of new therapies for our patients. Finally, it will be important to support especially women in nephrology since we are still underrepresented as leading nephrologists. We need to find solutions to support them especially in times when they start their Independency which often coincidences with starting a family. ERA has the power to act on all points outlined above to improve the visibility of nephrology within Europe and as a Council Member I would try to bring in my expertise to achieve these goals.

Candidate CV

Candidate vision
Currently, ERA is in good shape. Nevertheless, during my time as an Ordinary Council Member I would like:
 To support ERA in their aim to reduce the burden of kidney disease. This starts with having high-quality data in hands to define and monitor this burden.
 Therefore, to enable nephrology researchers to make even better use of existing data, promote studies in this area and further strenghten their international collaboration
 To assist in further improving the quality of clinical research in the fields of clinical nephrology, dialysis, and renal transplantation all across Europe, using my expertise as a renal epidemiologist. This will ultimately improve the quality of clinical practice
 To promote further strengthening the relationship of ERA with the other kidney associations and initiatives across the globe
 To contribute to further increasing diversity in the ERA membership and among ERA officers

Candidate CV

Candidate vision
In my daily practice, I seek opportunities to involve junior colleagues in authoring articles; performing peer-review; organising, chairing, and presenting at meetings. I supervise MSc, BSc and PhD students. I represent young nephrologists on collaborative renal research organisations aligned with my interests, including CKD (CKD Prognosis Consortium), data science (UK Kidney Association Renal Data Science network), trials (UK Renal Trials Network), kidney function estimation (UK Kidney Association eGFR group) and women’s kidney health (KDIGO “Controversies Conference”). I now believe I can action improvements for young nephrologists on an international level.

I have been encouraged and supported to participate in ERA activities, often through incidental encounters with the “right people at the right time”. I am an ERA-YNP mentor (2022-present), member of the ERA Electronic Communications Committee (2019-present), previous co-host of the ERA online journal club (2021-2023) and social media team member (2019-2023). I am Visual Abstracts (2019-present) and Biomarkers/Formulas Editor (2023-present) for Nephrology Dialysis Transplantation. As a member of the ERA Council, I will formalise pathways for the full diversity of young nephrologists to transition from onlookers to organisers. I believe this will improve the breadth and value of ERA activities for the whole community and ensure succession planning for the next generation of nephrology leaders.

As a young, female nephrologist, I am acutely aware that women (and other minority groups) are under-represented in positions of leadership. Passive encouragement is not enough; we need active efforts to drive improvements. I propose:
– scoping exercises to understand and overcome barriers to participation for under-represented groups.
– reporting guidelines for working groups: the sex/gender, career stage and geographical location of members should be immediately apparent and auditable.
– measurable targets for representation, including young nephrology representation on every working group.
– implementation of methods to achieve these targets, such as mentorship or championship schemes.

In the University of Glasgow “People Make Research” campaign 2022, I was recognised for my efforts to provide mentorship, engagement in wider academic opportunities for junior colleagues and for my attitude and collaborative approach. I look forward to maintaining this reputation and extending opportunities for our diverse group of young nephrologists as a member of the ERA Council.

Candidate CV

Candidate vision
As an Ordinary Council member in the European Renal Association (ERA), my primary goal would be to contribute to the advancement of nephrology and the well-being of individuals with kidney-related issues. Here are some key aspects of my vision:
1. Advocacy for Nephrology: My focus is on raising awareness about kidney health and advocating for the pivotal role of nephrology in comprehensive healthcare. This entails collaboration with healthcare professionals, policymakers, and the public to address pertinent issues related to kidney diseases. Notably, my contribution to enrolling the Romanian Society of Nephrology in the European Kidney Health Alliance (EKHA) exemplifies my commitment.
2. Research and Innovation: A priority is the promotion and support of research initiatives within nephrology. Encouraging innovation in the diagnosis, treatment, and prevention of kidney diseases is vital for improved patient outcomes. I have initiated and organized the first Hackathon for innovation in Nephrology in my country and actively endorse innovation events in my role as the Director of the Center for Innovation and Technology Transfer at the University.
3. Education and Training: Crucial to my vision is enhancing educational programs for healthcare professionals, including nephrologists, nurses, and technicians. This involves organizing workshops, conferences, and online resources to keep professionals abreast of the latest developments. Having personally benefited from ERA’s educational initiatives, it is now my role to support educational events for young nephrologists.
4. International Collaboration: Collaboration with global medical societies and organizations is integral. Sharing knowledge, best practices, and resources can contribute to a more comprehensive and effective approach to managing kidney diseases. My existing collaborations with the International Society of Nephrology (ISN) and the European Society for Organ Transplantation (ESOT), along with previous engagements in clinical practice guideline development, underscore my commitment to international cooperation.
5. Addressing Disparities: Efforts will be directed towards reducing disparities in access to nephrology care, addressing socioeconomic, geographic, and cultural factors contributing to unequal healthcare outcomes.
6. Ethical Practices: Upholding and promoting ethical standards within nephrology is paramount. This involves ensuring transparency, integrity, and accountability in research, clinical practice, and organizational activities.
7. Public Engagement and Outreach: Leveraging social media, community events, and other platforms will be instrumental in reaching a wider audience in order to raise awareness about kidney health.
By concentrating on these aspects, I aim to contribute to the overall mission of the European Renal Association and improving the lives of individuals affected by kidney diseases.

Candidate CV

Candidate vision
I can participate in the chronic kidney disease prevention program led by ERA. I have actively contributed to the kidney disease prevention program of the Turkish Ministry of Health and I have authored and presented educational materials on hypertension and chronic kidney disease follow-up for the Turkish Ministry of Health. I think I can assist in the ERA- conducted chronic kidney disease prevention program. I can be helpful in the penetration of the ERA committee in Turkish-speaking countries, I have conducted several educational activities between the Turkish Society of Nephrology and Turkish-speaking countries. There is a decreasing trend in deceased-related donations, especially after COVID-19. Such programs have not been established in the developing world. On- demand, I would like to improve public awareness of organ donation campaigns.

I am willing to assist with the social media activities of ERA and help produce additional educational material for kidney disease patients.