Northwell launches $1.25M endowed kidney fellowship

As demand for kidney disease management is on the rise, Northwell Health is launching a the Galdi Fellowship in Onco-Nephrology and Glomerular Kidney Diseases.

The fellowship is thanks to a $1.25 million endowment gift from Linda and Greg Galdi of Roslyn.

The fellowship is part of the Northwell’s Division of Kidney Diseases and Hypertension, which focuses on “onco-nephrology and glomerular kidney diseases, two rapidly advancing and highly related subspecialties that have seen a surge in need as the treatment of kidney disease grows more complex,” according to Northwell.

“Northwell Health is grateful to Linda and Greg Galdi for their generous commitment to establish the first combined fellowship in onco-nephrology and glomerular kidney diseases,” Dr. Kenar  Jhaveri, associate chief of Northwell’s Division of Nephrology, said in a statement.

“The creation of the Galdi Fellowship represents the next milestone along the merging path of these two closely related fields of kidney disease,” he said. “The Galdi Fellowship furthers Northwell’s opportunity to recruit bright, rising stars in nephrology who hold the promise to shape the evolution of medicine for our community and beyond.”

Each year, more than 1,800 residents and fellows are educated by Northwell, where nephrologists  see and treat the full scope of kidney diseases as part of its coordination of care with the latest technologies and therapies. Northwell aims to further enhance that training through the Galdi Fellowship.

“Northwell nephrology places great value in innovation, which shapes the advancement of medical care,” Dr. Steven Fishbane, Northwell’s chief of nephrology, said in a statement.

“In support of the large number of patients affected by these closely related conditions, we look forward to training exceptionally skilled nephrologists to rapidly expand knowledge and further research towards more effective treatments,” he added.

The Galdi Fellowship will target two fast-growing subspecialties, allowing fellows in one year to further their expertise. One specialty includes onco-nephrology, which treats intricate complications and kidney ailments patients experience while undergoing novel treatments for cancer.

The other specialty is glomerular kidney disease, which represents a group of illnesses that affect the the kidney’s filters. Glomerular diseases include diabetes and lupus, as well as many lesser-known diseases such as membranous nephropathy and focal/segmental glomerulosclerosis.

These subspecialties are related; cancer can cause glomerular kidney diseases while treatments for glomerular diseases often involve the same therapies used in cancer treatment.

“Northwell’s Department of Medicine/Medicine Service Line is enormously grateful for the gift,” Dr. Said Ibrahim, senior vice president of medicine at Northwell, said in a statement.

“Beyond the enormous impact it will have on patients, this gift will go a long way toward advancing our commitment to elevate our academic reputation regionally and nationally,” Ibrahim added.

“My wife, Linda, and I are proud to support the creation of the first combined fellowship in onco-nephrology and glomerular kidney diseases,” Greg Galdi, a founding member of Northwell’s Department of Medicine Leadership Circle, said in a statement.

“Under the leadership of Northwell’s Division of Nephrology, we are confident that our investment will yield tremendous dividends for patients suffering with cancer and resulting diseases affecting their kidneys,” he added.