Dinna Cruz

Dinna Cruz is a Clinical Professor in the Department of Medicine at the University of California, San Diego (UCSD) School of Medicine. With over two decades of academic and clinical experience, Dr. Cruz has established herself as a leading expert in nephrology, particularly in the areas of acute kidney injury (AKI), cardiorenal syndromes, and biomarker development.

Dr. Cruz's research spans multiple dimensions of kidney disease:

• Acute Kidney Injury (AKI) epidemiology, diagnosis, and management
• Cardiorenal syndromes and their pathophysiological mechanisms
• Biomarker development, particularly neutrophil gelatinase-associated lipocalin (NGAL)
• Dialysis therapies for acute and chronic kidney disease
• Global health initiatives targeting kidney disease prevention

Her most recent publications demonstrate a continued focus on precision medicine approaches to AKI, with emphasis on biomarker validation, contrast-induced nephropathy, and drug-induced kidney injury. Dr. Cruz has been instrumental in major consensus initiatives like the Acute Disease Quality Initiative (ADQI) and the International Society of Nephrology's 0by25 initiative aimed at eliminating preventable deaths from AKI by 2025. Her work increasingly integrates multi-disciplinary approaches, connecting nephrology with cardiology, critical care, and global health.

Dr. Cruz has been actively involved in numerous multicenter studies and consensus guidelines development, contributing significantly to the field's understanding of AKI epidemiology and management strategies. Her research has influenced clinical practice through evidence-based recommendations on fluid management, dialysis modalities, and biomarker implementation in critical care settings.