Ronald J. Falk

Ronald J. Falk, MD, FACP, FASN is the Nan and Hugh Cullman Eminent Professor at the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill School of Medicine and serves as Founder and Co-Director of the UNC Kidney Center. With over three decades of experience, Dr. Falk is an internationally recognized expert in vasculitis and autoimmune kidney disease, maintaining an active clinical practice and research program focused on ANCA-associated vasculitis and glomerular diseases.

Dr. Falk's research interests center on clinical nephrology with specific expertise in ANCA-associated vasculitis and autoimmune kidney disease. His translational research program spans more than 30 years and focuses on characterizing cellular and tissue changes in autoimmune kidney diseases, including ANCA glomerulonephritis and small vessel vasculitis. He has pioneered approaches for studying autoimmunity, inflammation, and neutrophil/monocyte biology. A major contribution was co-founding the Glomerular Disease Collaborative Network (GDCN) in 1985, which now includes over 600 nephrologists from 250 private practices and has enrolled patients in 16 glomerular disease registries.

Analysis of Dr. Falk's extensive publication record (over 400 publications) reveals consistent focus on ANCA-associated vasculitis mechanisms, diagnosis, and treatment. His work spans basic science investigations of complement pathways and neutrophil biology to large-scale clinical trials and registry studies. Recent publications emphasize biomarker discovery, relapse prediction in vasculitis, and novel therapeutic approaches including B-cell depletion strategies.

• Fellow of the American College of Physicians (FACP)
• Fellow of the American Society of Nephrology (FASN)
• Nan and Hugh Cullman Eminent Professorship

Dr. Falk has mentored numerous investigators through the Glomerular Disease Collaborative Network, which has initiated or participated in numerous clinical trials, epidemiologic studies, and translational research projects. His collaborative approach has connected nephrologists throughout the southeastern United States with the UNC School of Medicine, creating a robust research infrastructure for studying rare kidney diseases.

As Founder and Co-Director of the UNC Kidney Center, Dr. Falk leads a multidisciplinary team focused on advancing kidney disease research, education, and patient care. The Center serves as a hub for clinical trials, translational research, and collaborative studies in glomerular diseases and vasculitis, with particular emphasis on ANCA-associated conditions.