Matthew Sparks Email & Phone Number

I am a physician-scientist in the Division of Nephrology at the Duke University School of Medicine and the Durham VA Medical Center. My clinical time is spent at the Durham VA Medical Center where I see patients with glomerular diseases, advanced CKD, peritoneal dialysis, hemodialysis, kidney transplant, electrolyte disorders, critical care nephrology, end of life care and resistant hypertension in both an outpatient clinic and on the nephrology consult service. I also round on the general internal medicine service and teach medical students and residents. My lab is interested in understanding how both the renin angiotensin and prostanoid systems regulate blood pressure by altering blood flow to the kidney. My lab utilizes a combination of physiologic and molecular techniques in genetically modified mice to probe questions about how changes in the micro circulation in the kidney alter sodium excretion. The overarching goal of this research is to identify novel mechanisms to target drug therapy for patients with hypertension. My research is funded by a career development award from the Department of Veterans Affairs Office of Research and Development (BXIK2BX002240) and a Scientist Development Grant from the American Heart Association.I am passionate about medical education. My focus is on leveraging social media to enhance learning in nephrology. I am co-founder and advisory board member of the first nephrology blog associated with a journal- eAJKD, the official blog of the American Journal of Kidney Diseases. Co-creator of the popular edutainment project NephMadness. Past deputy editor of Renal Fellow Network where I continue to remain an advocate for the site and author the yearly “Top Nephrology Stories of the Year”. I am currently a member of the Education Committee of the American Society of Nephrology and am a fellow of the American Society of Nephrology and the National Kidney Foundation.Twitter@Nephro_Sparks@AJKDblog

Listed skills include Medical Education, Medicine, Clinical Research, Internal Medicine, and 26 others.