Susan Furth, MD, PhD

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Susan Furth, MD, PhD, is Chief Scientific Officer, Executive Vice President and an attending physician at Children's Hospital of Philadelphia.

Areas of Expertise: Chronic kidney disease and its complication in children, Hypertension, Nephrotic syndrome, Glomerulonephritis
Locations: Main Hospital

Appointments and Referrals: 1-800-TRY-CHOP (1-800-879-2467)

Background

Susan L. Furth, MD, PhD, is Chief Scientific Officer, Executive Vice President and is an attending physician at Children’s Hospital of Philadelphia. She’s Professor of Pediatrics and Epidemiology and was formally appointed as holder of the Edmond F. Notebaert Endowed Chair in Pediatric Research effective July 1, 2021 related to her role as Chief Scientific Officer. She is past president of the Society for Pediatric Research, and was named in 2017 to the Johns Hopkins Society of Scholars.

Dr. Furth completed her undergraduate training at the University of Pennsylvania, where she graduated summa cum laude and Phi Beta Kappa with a major in English. She also received her MD from the University of Pennsylvania before doing her internship, residency and fellowship at Johns Hopkins Hospital in Baltimore. She earned her PhD (clinical investigation) from the Bloomberg School of Hygiene and Public Health at Hopkins in 1999, earning research awards from the American Society of Transplantation and the Johns Hopkins Comprehensive Transplant Center. Following fellowship, she joined the faculty at Johns Hopkins where she rose through the ranks to become a Professor status before being recruited in 2010 as Division Chief to Children’s Hospital of Philadelphia.

Dr. Furth is the principal investigator of The Chronic Kidney Disease in Children Study, sponsored by the National Institutes of Health. Now in its 17th year, this is the largest study of children with chronic kidney disease ever conducted in North America. With more than 1,000 children enrolled, the goal is to define risk factors for kidney disease progression in children and characterize the effect of kidney function decline on other aspects of child development. She is also the principal investigator of the Pediatric Center of Excellence in Nephrology Award recently given to CHOP to promote clinical trials in children with kidney disease.

Dr. Furth lectures national and internationally on chronic kidney disease in children. Her clinical interests include chronic kidney disease, hypertension, nephrotic syndrome and glomerulonephritis.

Education and Training

Medical School

MD - University of Pennsylvania School of Medicine, Philadelphia, PA

Internship

Pediatrics - Johns Hopkins Hospital, Baltimore, MD

Residency

Pediatrics - Johns Hopkins Hospital, Baltimore, MD

Fellowship

Pediatric Nephrology - Johns Hopkins Hospital, Baltimore, MD

Board Certification

Pediatric Nephrology

Graduate Degree

PhD in Clinical Investigation - Johns Hopkins University School of Hygiene and Public Health, Baltimore, MD

Titles and Academic Titles

Attending Physician

Executive Vice President

Chief Scientific Officer, Research Institute

Edmond F. Notebaert Endowed Chair in Pediatric Research

Professor, Department of Pediatrics and Epidemiology, Perelman School of Medicine at the University of Pennsylvania

Conditions Treated

Departments and Services

Research Interests

Chronic Kidney Disease in Children Study (CKiD)
Neuroimaging in Chronic Kidney Disease Study (NiCK)
Teen Adherence in Kidney Transplantation Effectiveness of Intervention Trial (TAKE-IT)

Publications

Papers

National Library of Medicine Bibliography

Abstracts

2010

Dodson J, Yenokyan G, Diener-West M, Gearhardt J, Furth S. Health related quality of life in adolescents with bladder exstrophy-epispadias as measured by the Child Health Questionnaire- Child Form 87 [abstract]. American Academy of Pediatrics 2010 National Conference and Exhibition; 2010 Oct 2-5; San Francisco, CA.

Brady T, Schneider M, Flynn J, Cox C, Kimball T, Furth S, Warady B, Mitsnefes M. Correlates of carotid artery intima media thickness in children with chronic kidney disease: a report of the Chronic Kidney Disease in Children Cohort Study [oral platform presentation]. 15th Congress of the International Pediatric Nephrology Association; 2010 Aug 29-Sep 2; New York, NY.

Books

Chapters

 2012

Askenazi D, Smith L, Furth SL, Warady B. Acute and chronic renal failure. In: Devaskar SU, Gleason CA. Avery's diseases of the newborn. 9th ed. Philadelphia: Elsevier; 2012.

2011

Furth SL, Gerson A. Quality of life of children on dialysis. In: Warady BA, Alexander SR, Schaefer F. Pediatric dialysis. 2nd ed. New York: Springer Science and Business Media; 2011.

2009

Furth SL, Fadrowski JJ. Clinical investigation. In: Avner ED, Harmon WE, Niaudet P, Yoshikawa N, editors. Pediatric nephrology. 6th ed. Philadelphia: Lippincott, Williams and Wilkins; 2009.

2008

Gerson A, Harrison C, Furth SL. Psychological and ethical issues in chronic kidney disease. In: Geary D, Schaefer F. Comprehensive clinical nephrology. Philadelphia: Mosby, Inc.; 2008.

Tan J, Furth S. Nephrology. In: Johns Hopkins Hospital, Custer J, Rau R, Lee C, editors. The Harriet Lane handbook. 18th ed. Philadelphia: Mosby, Inc.; 2008.

2007

Wong CS, Furth S. Epidemiology of renal disease in children. In: Kher KK, Schnaper HW, Makker SP, editors. Clinical pediatric nephrology. 2nd ed. London (England): Informa UKK Ltd.; 2007. p. 63-70.

Furth SL, Amaral S. Themes across renal disease and renal failure: anemia. In: Molony D, Craig J. Evidence based nephrology. Oxford (UK): Blackwell Publishing; 2007.

2006

Wong C, Furth SL. Epidemiology of chronic kidney disease in children. In: Clinical pediatric nephrology. 2nd ed. Kher K, Makker SP, Schnaper HW. London (UK): Dunitz & Parthenon Publishing; 2006.

2005

Furth SL, Levin A, Schwartz G. Normal kidney function and choice of laboratory studies. In: Hogg RJ, editor. Kidney disorders in children and adolescents: a practical handbook. London (UK): Taylor & Francis; 2005.

2004

Furth SL, Gerson A. Quality of life of children on dialysis. In: Warady BA, Fine RN, Alexander SR, Schaefer F. Pediatric dialysis. Norwell: Kluwer Academic Publishers; 2004.

2003

Furth SL, Fadrowski JJ. Clinical investigation. In: Avner ED, Harmon WE, Niaudet P, editors. Pediatric nephrology. 5th ed. Philadelphia: Lippincott, Williams and Wilkins; 2003.

2000

Furth S. Therapy in nephrology and hypertension — a comparison to Brenner and Rector's: the kidney. In: Brady HR, Wilcox CS. Philadelphia: Saunders; 1990.

Posters and Presentations

2010

Blydt-Hansen T, Pierce C, Zack R, Schwartz G, Benador N, Hmiel P, et al. Anticipating treatment needs and complexity in children with CKD [poster presentation]. 15th Congress of the International Pediatric Nephrology Association, 2010 Aug 29-Sep 2; New York, NY.

Blydt-Hansen T, Pierce C, Zack R, White C, Moxey-Mims M, Dharnidharka V, et al. Association of CKD stage and glomerular disease with medication use in children with CKD [poster presentation]. 15th Congress of the International Pediatric Nephrology Association; 2010 Aug 29-Sep 2; New York, NY.

Abraham AG, Zack RM, Mak RH, Mitsnefes MM, Furth SL, Warady BA. Protein energy wasting in children with chronic kidney disease [poster presentation]. 15th Congress of the International Pediatric Nephrology Association; 2010 Aug 29-Sep 2; New York, NY.

Rodig NM, Schneider MF, Hotchkiss HM, Yadin O, Seikaly MG, Warady BA, Furth SL. Height impairment and pubertal delay in children with chronic kidney disease (CKD): a report from the Chronic Kidney Disease in Children (CKiD) Cohort Study [poster presentation]. 15th Congress of the International Pediatric Nephrology Association; 2010 Aug 29-Sep 2; New York, NY.

Lo M, Salisbury S, Furth S, Warady B, Mitsnefes M. Predictors of adiponectin in CKiD [poster presentation]. 15th Congress of the International Pediatric Nephrology Association; 2010 Aug 29-Sep 2; New York, NY.

Lo M, Furth S, Warady B, Mitsnefes M. Low-molecular weight adiponectin is associated with left ventricular mass index [poster presentation]. 15th Congress of the International Pediatric Nephrology Association; 2010 Aug 29-Sep 2; New York, NY.

Minnick ML, Ndirangu J, Boynton S, Jerry-Fluker J, Furth S. Healthcare utilization in the Chronic Kidney Disease (CKiD) in Children Cohort Study [poster presentation]. 15th Congress of the International Pediatric Nephrology Association; 2010 Aug 29-Sep 2; New York, NY.

2009

Mitsnefes M, Pierce CB, Furth S, Warady BA. Adiponectin and cardiovascular risks (CV) in children with chronic kidney disease (CKD): report from the Chronic Kidney Disease in Children (CKiD) Cohort Study [poster presentation]. American Society of Nephrology 2009 Annual Meeting; 2009 Oct 27-Nov 2; San Diego, CA.

Schwartz GJ, Abraham A, Dharnidharka V, Warady BA, Furth SL, Moxey-Mims M, et al.  Particle enhanced nephelometric immunoassay (PENIA, Dade Behring) cystatin C measurement improves the height/screatinine estimate of GFR in children with CKD compared to particle enhanced turbidometric assay (PETIA, DAKO) [poster presentation]. American Society of Nephrology 2009 Annual Meeting; 2009 Oct 27-Nov 2; San Diego, CA.

Schwartz GJ, Abraham A, Maier PS, Furth SL, Dharnidharka V, Hellerstein S, et al. Particle enhanced nephelometric immunoassay (PENIA, Dade Behring) cystatin C is superior to particle enhanced turbidometric assay (PETIA, DAKO) as an endogenous biomarker for GFR in children with CKD [poster presentation]. American Society of Nephrology 2009 Annual Meeting; 2009 Oct 27-Nov 2; San Diego, CA.

Dodson JL, Gearhart JP, Yenokyan G, Alcorn K, Diener-West M, Wu AW, et al. Health related quality of life among adolescents with abnormal bladder function as measured by the CHQ-PF50 [poster presentation]. American Society of Nephrology 2009 Annual Meeting; 2009 Oct 27-Nov 2; San Diego, CA.

Omoloja AA, Jerry-Fluker J, Abraham A, Furth S, Warady B, Mitsnefes. Smoking and second hand smoking in adolescents with chronic kidney disease: a report from the Chronic Kidney Disease in Children (CKiD) Cohort Study [poster presentation]. American Society of Nephrology 2009 Annual Meeting; 2009 Oct 27-Nov 2; San Diego, CA.

Lande M, Gerson A, Hooper S, Cox C, Wentz A, Gipson D, et al. Elevated BP and neurocognitive function in children with chronic kidney disease [poster presentation]. American Society of Nephrology 2009 Annual Meeting; 2009 Oct 27-Nov 2; San Diego, CA.

Greenbaum LA, Schneider MF, Kaskel FJ, Askenazi DJ, Hotchkiss H, Jenkins R, et al. Abnormal birth history and height in children with CKD [poster presentation]. American Society of Nephrology 2009 Annual Meeting; 2009 Oct 27-Nov 2; San Diego, CA.

Flynn JT, Miller E, Pierce C, Charleston J, Samuels J, Kupferman J, et al. Reliability of resting blood pressure (BP) measurement and classification using an oscillometric device in children with chronic kidney disease (CKD) [poster presentation]. American Society of Nephrology 2009 Annual Meeting; 2009 Oct 27-Nov 2; San Diego, CA.

MacDonald RN, Schneider MF, Hotchkiss HM, Yadin O, Seikaly MG, Furth SL, et al. Growth failure in children with chronic kidney disease: a report from the Chronic Kidney Disease in Children (CKiD) Cohort Study [poster presentation]. American Society of Nephrology 2009 Annual Meeting; 2009 Oct 27-Nov 2; San Diego, CA.

Lestz RM, Fivush BA, Furth SL. Achievement of albumin targets in pediatric dialysis patients by underlying diagnosis, gender and race [poster presentation]. American Society of Nephrology 2009 Annual Meeting; 2009 Oct 27-Nov 2; San Diego, CA.

Lestz RM, Fivush BA, Neu AM, Atkinson MA, Furth SL. A comparison of achievement of hemoglobin and albumin targets in pediatric patients with urologic vs. non-urologic disease [poster presentation]. American Society of Nephrology 2009 Annual Meeting; 2009 Oct 27-Nov 2; San Diego, CA.

Atkinson M, Fadrowski J, Pierce C, White C, Schwartz G, Abraham A, et al. Anemia, iron stores, and CRP in children with chronic kidney disease [poster presentation]. Pediatric Academic Societies 2009 Annual Meeting; 2009 May 2-5; Baltimore, MD.

Gorman GH, Fivush B, Neu A, Furth S. Growth velocity and clinical outcomes in pediatric hemodialysis patients [poster presentation]. Pediatric Academic Societies 2009 Annual Meeting; 2009 May 2-5; Baltimore, MD.

Greenbaum LA, Kaskel FJ, Askenazi D, Jenkins R, Hotchkiss H, Schneider M, et al. High prevalence of abnormal birth history in children with chronic kidney disease [poster presentation]. Pediatric Academic Societies 2009 Annual Meeting; 2009 May 2-5; Baltimore, MD.

Furth SL. The CKiD Study: what have we learned so far? [poster presentation]. Pediatric Academic Societies 2009 Annual Meeting; 2009 May 2-5; Baltimore, MD.

Gorman G, Fivush B, Neu A, Furth. Growth velocity and clinical outcomes in pediatric hemodialysis patients [poster presentation].  Pediatric Academic Societies 2009 Annual Meeting; 2009 May 2-5; Baltimore, MD.

Editorial and Academic Positions

Editorial positions

2010 - present, Associate Editor, Clinical Journal of the American Society of Nephrology
2009 - present, Reviewer, New England Journal of Medicine
2008 - present, Reviewer, Clinical Journal of American Society of Nephrology
2007 - present, Reviewer, American Journal of Transplantation
2007 - present, Reviewer, Urology
2007 - present, Reviewer, American Journal of Epidemiology
2007 - present, Reviewer, Nephrology, Dialysis, Transplantation
2006 - present,  Reviewer, International Journal of Infectious Disease
2006 - present, Reviewer, Pharmacia
2006 - present, Reviewer, American Journal of Medicine
2005 - present, Reviewer, Journal of Pediatrics
2005 - present, Reviewer, Pediatric Transplantation
2004 - present, Reviewer, Drugs
2004 - present, Reviewer, Medical Care
2004 - present, Reviewer, Journal of American Society of Nephrology
2004 - present, Reviewer, Kidney International
2003 - present, Reviewer, Pediatrics
2003 - present, Reviewer, JAMA
2002 - present, Reviewer, Pediatric Nephrology
2007 - present, Editorial Board, Journal of American Society of Nephrology
2003 - present, Editorial Board, Advances in Chronic Kidney Disease

Academic positions

2011-present, Department of Pediatrics, University of Pennsylvania Operating Plan, Committee on Mentorship
 
2010-present, External Advisory Board, Einstein-Montefiore Institute for Clinical and Translational Research

2008-2009, Chair, Selection Committee for Johns Hopkins KL2 Clinical Research Scholars Program, Johns Hopkins Medical Institutes, Institute for Clinical and Translational Research (ICTR)

2006-2010, Member, Selection Committee for Johns Hopkins K12 Clinical Research Scholars Program, Johns Hopkins Medical Institutes, Institute for Clinical and Translational Research (ICTR)

2006-2010, Member, Executive Committee, “Multidisciplinary Clinical Research Career Development Program” K12, Johns Hopkins Medical Institutes, Institute for Clinical and Translational Research (ICTR)

2005-2010, Member, Clinical and Translational Science Award Application: Training and Education Workgroup, Johns Hopkins Medical Institutes

2005 – 2010, Member, Clinician Scientist Award Committee – Johns Hopkins School of Medicine Selection committee for Junior Faculty salary support award applications