Neil Powe

Neil Powe, MD, MPH, MBA is a Professor of Medicine at the University of California, San Francisco (UCSF), School of Medicine, where he leads the Medicine Service at Zuckerberg San Francisco General Hospital (ZSFG). He is a nationally recognized expert in nephrology, epidemiology, health disparities, and health services research, with a career dedicated to improving care and outcomes for patients with kidney disease, particularly in underserved populations.

Education:

• B.A. in Biochemical Sciences, Princeton University
• M.D., Harvard Medical School
• M.P.H. in Epidemiology, Harvard School of Public Health
• M.B.A. in Health Care Systems, The Wharton School, University of Pennsylvania
• Residency and Robert Wood Johnson Clinical Scholar, Hospital of the University of Pennsylvania

Dr. Powe’s research focuses on kidney disease patient-oriented research, epidemiology, disparities, and outcomes and effectiveness research. His work bridges Medicine and Public Health to improve the health of populations affected by kidney disease. He has led major initiatives such as the National Chronic Kidney Disease Surveillance System and has been at the forefront of efforts to reassess the use of race in estimating kidney function, co-leading the NKF-ASN Task Force on this critical issue.

His recent research, as reflected in his publications, centers on chronic kidney disease epidemiology, racial and ethnic disparities in care, health equity in transplantation and dialysis, the impact of social determinants on kidney health, and the development of race-free equations for estimating kidney function. His work has significantly influenced policy and clinical practice in nephrology.

Scientific Awards and Honors:

• TIME100 Health 2024 Most Influential People in Health
• Member, American Academy of Arts & Sciences (2024)
• Herbert W. Nickens Award, AAMC (2023)
• Robert J Glaser Award, Society of General Internal Medicine (2023)
• Member, National Academy of Medicine (2003)
• Member, Association of American Physicians (2005)
• David M. Hume Memorial Award, National Kidney Foundation (2019)
• Belding H. Scribner Award, American Society of Nephrology (2011)

Dr. Powe has served as Principal Investigator on numerous NIH- and CDC-funded grants, mentoring generations of clinical researchers. He is deeply committed to advancing health equity, improving medical education, and developing future leaders in academic medicine. His leadership and scholarship have profoundly impacted the field of nephrology and the care of vulnerable patients with kidney disease.