David M. Charytan, MD

I chose to pursue a career in medicine because it combined my love of math and science with my desire to help people and do some good in the world. Nephrology is a unique specialty because it allows me to provide long-term care to people who have complex and acute conditions, such as people who require dialysis. I enjoy being the frontline care provider and developing a close relationship with each of my patients. I’m also interested in the underlying science of nephrology and how it requires a detailed knowledge of physiology.

As a nephrologist at NYU Langone, I treat people who have any kidney condition, with the exception of those who require kidney transplantation. I have particular expertise in caring for those with systemic lupus erythematous and other autoimmune kidney diseases, diabetic nephropathy, and cardiorenal disease—a combined disease of both the heart and kidneys.

I have a long history of providing personalized care for my patients. I enjoy getting to know them and talking to them about their lives and not just their illness. I believe that getting to know the whole person helps me provide more effective therapeutic care, and that it’s critical that patients be given the time to fully understand their disease, prognosis, and treatment options. I was previously named Renal Physician of the Year at my institution, in recognition of my dedication to my patients.

My major research interests are the causes of and treatments for cardiovascular disease in patients with chronic kidney disease. I have received multiple National Institutes of Health and foundation-funded grants to participate in or serve as principle investigator of clinical trials in this area. Over the course of my career, I have been the principal investigator on research grants from the National Institutes of Diabetes Digestive and Kidney Diseases; the National Heart, Lung, and Blood Institute; the American Society of Nephrology; the American Heart Association, and several other organizations. Additionally, I helped lead an international trial on a new therapy for diabetic kidney disease, and I have been an investigator on clinical trials for acute kidney failure and lupus nephritis treatments.