Dr. Kumar Sharma, MD, FASN, FAHA

Media Releases

Get to know Nephrologist Dr. Kumar Sharma, who serves patients in San Antonio, Texas.

An experienced nephrologist, Dr. Sharma is the Chief of the Division of Nephrology and Vice Chair for research in the Department of Medicine at UT Health San Antonio. He also plays a lead role in the NIH Kidney Precision Medicine program.

UT Health San Antonio serves patients in San Antonio and South Texas. Their health care professionals serve in more than 100 affiliated hospitals, clinics and health care facilities across San Antonio, Laredo and the Rio Grande Valley. Their mission is to make lives better through excellence in education, research, health care and community engagement.

Academically, Dr. Sharma completed his medical education and residency in internal medicine at the Albert Einstein College of Medicine, and attended the University of Pennsylvania for his fellowship training in nephrology.

Following his training, the doctor attained board certification in nephrology and internal medicine through the American Board of Internal Medicine (ABIM). The ABIM is a physician-led, non-profit, independent evaluation organization driven by doctors who want to achieve higher standards for better care in a rapidly changing world.

Maintaining fellowship status, he is a Fellow of the American Society of Nephrology (FASN), and Fellow of the American Heart Association (FAHA).

Among his other roles, he serves as Director and Professor of Medicine at the Center for Renal Translational Medicine, and Director of the Institute of Metabolomic Medicine at the University of California San Diego.

Exploring the mechanisms and treatment of diabetic nephropathy in his research, Dr. Sharma has several National Institutes of Health-funded projects including a DP3: Type 1 diabetes targeted research award of $6 million to identify novel paradigms in diabetic complications, more than $3 million from the JDRF to identify novel biomarkers in an international cohort of studies in Type 1 diabetes and more than $3 million for the Animal Models of Diabetic Complications Consortium and novel clinical trials in diabetic nephropathy from the National Institute of Diabetes and Digestive and Kidney Diseases. He serves on numerous study sections and is a standing member of the NIH Pathology of Kidney Disease study section.

Nephrology is a specialty of medicine and pediatrics that concerns itself with the kidneys. It is the study of normal kidney function and kidney disease, the preservation of kidney health, and the treatment of kidney disease, from diet and medication to renal replacement therapy. Nephrologists have advanced training in treating kidney disease. They diagnose and treat kidney failure, as well as help patients by prescribing medications, offering special diet advice, and coordinating dialysis care or kidney transplantation when it becomes necessary.

On a more personal note, he is fluent in English and Tamil.

Recommended Articles

• Furosemide Side Effects and How to Minimize Them

  What is furosemide?Furosemide is an oral prescription medicine, which is available under the brand name Lasix. This drug is also available in its generic form. The generic version of the drug mostly costs less than the branded ones. Furosemide is considered as a water pill or a loop diuretic that...

• What Medical Conditions Are Associated with Blood in Urine?

  Introduction:Blood in urine is more often than not a sign that there is something amiss in the body. It may signal a minor infection that need not worry you, but it could also be pointing to something more serious that is still undetected. Even if you appear to be in reasonably good health, it is...

• Oliguria

  Oliguria is a medical term used when referring to a decreased urine output. Oliguria is considered when a person’s urine output is less than 400 mL in a 24-hour period. When it comes to infants, oliguria occurs when the urine output is less than 0.5 mL/kg/hr for 24 hours. Anuria is the absence...

• What Are the Signs and Symptoms of Lupus?

  It is very hard to diagnose lupus. Since two individuals can have different signs of lupus, doctors have a hard time diagnosing it and treating it effectively. To diagnose lupus, it can take a long time, which can be distracting to both the doctor and the affected person. The symptoms of lupus can...

• What Causes Tingling in Feet?

  IntroductionA tingling sensation in the feet is a common concern among people. This sensation tends to be a similar feeling to the pins and needles effect. Some people may even feel pain and numbness in their feet along with a tingling sensation, which can be bothersome. However, it is not usually a...

• What Is a Basic Metabolic Panel (BMP) Used For?

  Basic Metabolic PanelA basic metabolic panel is a group of blood tests that will give healthcare providers important information about an individual's current metabolic status, which includes kidney function, blood sugar levels, acid-base balance, and electrolyte balance. Having a combination of...