Dr. Vivek Bhalla directs a basic science research program on the role of the kidney in diseases such as diabetes and hypertension using in vivo and in vitro approaches. He collaborates with investigators at Stanford, and others nationally, and internationally and his current research programs include five components related to kidney physiology and pathophysiology.

Dr. Bhalla studies: (1) diabetic kidney disease, (2) mechanisms of hypertension in the setting of obesity an dinsulin resistance, (3) the regulation of potasssium transport in obesity and insulin resistance, (4) role of Clcnkb in ion transport, and (5) diuretic-induced tubular hyperplasia and hypertrophy. As a physician-scientist and a practicing nephrologist, Dr. Bhalla has complementary clinical and translational research interests related to mechanisms of kidney disease and hypertension. He also has leadership roles both at Stanford and nationally. Dr. Bhalla founded and directs the nationally-accredited Stanford Hypertension Center and directs the Renal physiology curriculum for the School of Medicine. Additionally, he is incoming Chair of the Kidney and Cardiovascular Disease Council of the American Heart Association.

Dr. Bhalla has mentored predoctoral (21), and postdoctoral (22) trainees, including a recent K08 awardee, and of whom several have publications based on our work and five are now academic faculty. Dr. Bhalla participates as a mentor for basic science trainees at national meetings through Kidney STARS at Kidney Week and the APS-Renal Section of the Experimental Biology Annual Meeting and has advocated for funding for basic science nephrology trainees both in periodicals and on social media. He also received a Gottschalk award and knows the value of funding of young investigators.