John J Friedewald

John J Friedewald, MD is a Professor of Medicine (Nephrology and Hypertension) and Surgery (Organ Transplantation) at Northwestern University's Feinberg School of Medicine. He serves as a key faculty member at Northwestern Medicine with clinical practice at Northwestern Memorial Hospital and Ann & Robert H. Lurie Children's Hospital of Chicago. Dr. Friedewald leads significant research initiatives in kidney transplantation and nephrology, with active involvement in national transplant policy through leadership roles in the United Network for Organ Sharing (UNOS) and the American Society of Transplantation.

Education:

• BA: Princeton University (1993)
• MD: Columbia University (1998)
• Residency: Johns Hopkins Hospital, Internal Medicine (2001)
• Fellowship: Johns Hopkins Hospital, Nephrology (2003)
• Board Certification: Nephrology, American Board of Internal Medicine
• Board Certification: Internal Medicine, American Board of Internal Medicine

Research Interests:

Dr. Friedewald's research focuses on critical areas in kidney transplantation and nephrology. His work spans Living Kidney Donation, Kidney Allocation Systems, and innovative approaches for Highly Sensitized and Incompatible Patients. He has pioneered work in Kidney Paired Donation and leads research in Transplant Genomics and Biomarker Development. Additional areas include management of acute renal failure and understanding mechanisms of humoral allograft rejection. His research directly impacts national transplant policy and clinical practice guidelines.

Publication Trends:

Dr. Friedewald's recent publications (2025) demonstrate his continued leadership in advancing kidney transplantation science. His work spans molecular diagnostics (cell-free DNA monitoring), genetic testing implementation (APOL1), patient-centered outcomes research (CNI side effects), and comparative effectiveness of immunosuppressive therapies. These publications reflect his dual focus on improving clinical outcomes through both technological innovation and policy development in the transplant field.

Scientific Awards:

• DOM Teaching Award, Northwestern DOM (2023)
• Feinberg Teaching Award, Northwestern University (2021)
• Article Award, Clinical Journal of the American Society of Nephrology (2021)
• US Patent, US Patent Office (2021)
• Outstanding Article in Translational Science, American Journal of Transplantation (2020)
• Feinberg Teaching Award, Feinberg School of Medicine (2019)
• Fellow, American Society of Nephrology (2016)
• Fellow, American Society of Transplantation (2016)
• Best Teachers of Feinberg 2015 - Delivering Optimal Care (2015)

Leadership and Service:

Dr. Friedewald serves in significant leadership roles that impact national transplant policy. He is currently a Member of the AST/ASTS Joint Council (2024-present) and Board Member of the American Society of Transplantation (2023-present). Previously, he chaired the UNOS Kidney Transplantation Committee and was instrumental in developing proposed changes to kidney allocation that could save thousands of life-years annually. He also serves on scientific advisory boards including the National Kidney Foundation of Illinois.

Research Infrastructure:

Dr. Friedewald is affiliated with multiple research centers at Northwestern including the Center for Human Immunobiology, Comprehensive Transplant Center, Feinberg Cardiovascular and Renal Research Institute – Center for Kidney Research and Therapeutics, Institute for Augmented Intelligence in Medicine, and the Institute for Public Health and Medicine. He is currently leading clinical trials on desensitization therapies for highly sensitized kidney transplant candidates, demonstrating active translational research bridging bench to bedside.