How the MDIBL Renal Fellows Course influenced my career trajectory

Dr. Anuja Java during water homeostasis module

I am a proud MDIBL alumnus, and memories of my time and experience there are among my most treasured memories. Following my Transplant Nephrology fellowship, I attended the ‘Origins of Renal Physiology: Renal Fellows’ course during the summer of 2013. The opportunity to attend the course was crucial, as I had been contemplating a four-year basic science immunology research fellowship post-clinical training. This career decision was rather unconventional, considering I had no prior bench-based research training. The seven-day course was instrumental in confirming my choice to pursue the research fellowship.

The seven-day course comprised seven modules, with each fellow participating in two to three. These modules explored the kidney’s functional units: 1) Glomerular filtration and proteinuria; 2) Proximal tubule; 3) Distal nephron sodium transport; 4) Shark rectal gland; 5) Thick ascending limb of Henle; 6) Acid-base homeostasis; and 7) Water homeostasis.

Each module was led by an accomplished scientist with expertise in that area, and fellows were given the opportunity to design and conduct hands-on experiments. Post-doctoral fellows and laboratory technicians played an instrumental role in conducting these experiments. The course was extremely well-organized and solidified basic physiology concepts we had only read in books or learned in a classroom.

In the water homeostasis module, we delved into human osmoregulation, epithelial water transport, water channel trafficking, and water transport through aquaporins. Subsequently, we conducted an experiment where eight participants were divided into four ‘controls’ and four ‘cases’ (after drinking a water load). We then measured the volume, osmolality, electrolytes, free water clearance, and sodium excretion of our own urine samples. The following morning, we gave short presentations to teach these lessons to the larger group, further strengthening our understanding of the concepts. Following the presentations, we spent the afternoon exploring the island and Acadia National Park, including organized hiking, biking, and kayaking excursions. Those seven days of immersive learning, in a collaborative environment with my co-fellows and outstanding faculty on the scenic MDIBL campus, were among my finest experiences. It became clear that a strong foundation in renal physiology and understanding disease mechanisms are key to becoming a successful clinician-scientist.

Returning from the course with renewed vigor, I pursued and completed a four-year research fellowship specializing in complement biology. Over the years, I’ve used my clinical experiences to identify clinically relevant research questions and then applied my scientific background to investigate them systematically in the laboratory. It is extremely gratifying to contribute to nephrology through translational research and serve as the regional and national complement expert for challenging cases. I attribute my success to a robust foundation and interest in basic science, sparked by the MDIBL course.