Michelle Estrella

Michelle Estrella, MD, is a Professor in the Department of Medicine at the University of California, San Francisco (UCSF) School of Medicine. Her research focuses on chronic kidney disease, cardiovascular disease, and the intersection of HIV/AIDS with renal health, particularly in minority populations. She is also committed to medical education and clinical research training, contributing to initiatives like the Kidney Health Research Collaborative (KHRC).

Education: B.S. in Biology from Centenary College of Louisiana (1997), M.D. from University of Texas Health Science Center at Houston (2001), Internal Medicine residency and Nephrology fellowship at Johns Hopkins (2004–2006), and an M.H.S. in Epidemiology from Johns Hopkins Bloomberg School of Public Health (2009).

Research Interests: Dr. Estrella investigates kidney dysfunction mechanisms, early biomarkers of kidney injury, and strategies to mitigate CKD progression. Her work emphasizes global kidney health, disparities in HIV-associated nephropathy, and translational research to improve detection and management of kidney diseases. She also explores cardiovascular comorbidities and bone mineral disorders linked to CKD.

Grants & Funding: Principal investigator (PI) and co-investigator on numerous NIH- and VA-funded projects, including studies on kidney monitoring in heart failure patients, CKD care cascades, and biomarker-driven outcomes research. Notable grants include the NIH R01DK130870 (2021–2026) and VA HSR&D SDR 20-387 (2020–2022).

Awards: Recognized with the 2024 American Society of Clinical Investigation and 2022 American Society of Nephrology Mid-Career Mentorship Award. Her mentorship focuses on clinical research and career development for junior faculty.

Labs/Teams: Active in the Kidney Health Research Collaborative (KHRC), SF Bay Area MACS/WIHS Combined Cohort Study, and the CORAL Trial. She collaborates widely on biomarker discovery and clinical trial design.