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

• What Causes Rhabdomyolysis?

  Rhabdomyolysis is a condition in which the muscles are rapidly broken down resulting in the release of myoglobin — the muscle protein — into the blood. This is a rare condition, and the release of myoglobin into the blood can lead to damage of kidneys. It is mostly caused by muscle injury and...

• Different Types of Physicians Explained

  Doctors or physicians are categorized according to different factors including medical specialties and subspecialties. Most doctors specialize in a specific area of medicine. This article provides a summary of the different types of doctors in the medical field. AllergistsAllergists are also...

• The 3 Types of Urinary Tract Infections

  Urinary tract infections (UTIs) are common worldwide, among both men and women, and they can occur at all ages. However, women are more likely to develop urinary tract infections than men. A UTI is caused by a bacterial infection in the urinary tract. When bacteria enter the urinary tract, they are...

• Leukocytes in Urine: What Does Leukocyte Esterase in Urine Mean?

  What are leukocytes?White blood cells (WBCs) are also called as leukocytes. They protect the body from infections by fighting foreign invaders such as viruses, bacteria, fungi, or parasites. Phagocytes and lymphocytes are forms of white blood cells (WBCs).Phagocytes engulf foreign particles like...

• What is a Cluster Headache?

  Headaches that recur two to three times during a short period of time are known as cluster headaches. This may last for few weeks, to months. These headaches often occur after sleep and recur throughout the day. It usually appears during the same time of the year, or season of the year. It may...

• 5 Tips on Living with Kidney Stones

  According to scientific research, around 15% of the world’s population is living with kidney stones. Among these people, 20% are men while 5% are women. Kidney stones is a condition which is very common especially in men. It is also among the most painful infections since it affects the urinary...