Dinushika Mohottige, MD, Named NKF's Medical Advisory Board Distinguished Service Award Winner

NEW YORK, April 1, 2025 /PRNewswire/ -- The National Kidney Foundation has awarded Dinushika Mohottige, MD, MPH, assistant professor in the Institute for Health Equity Research at the Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai and the Barbara T. Murphy Division of Nephrology, with the Medical Advisory Board Distinguished Service Award. She will receive the distinguished prize at the 2025 Spring Clinical Meetings in Boston, MA, April 10-13.  

Each year the National Kidney Foundation (NKF) considers the work of hundreds of specialists in the field of nephrology and selects among them those who most exemplify the relentless efforts of the NKF to enhance the lives of patients through action, education and accelerating change. 

The Medical Advisory Board Distinguished Service Award, recognizes individuals for their educational activities and community service in promoting the mission of NKF on a local level. 

"I'm deeply grateful for this award," said Dr. Mohottige. "Having an opportunity to work with and learn from the wonderful Greater New York and National NKF teams as we strive to move the needle in kidney health equity is a deeply motivating force. Since I was a fellow, NKF has been the organization that most resonates with the work I believe is most pressing --- which is ensuring patient voices and experiences are at the center of innovation, research and service." 

Mohottige is a general nephrologist who cares for veterans at the James J Peters VA in the Bronx. In addition, Dr. Mohottige engages in patient- and community-centered, inequity-focused research around the impact of sociostructural factors and racialized medicine on kidney health and kidney transplantation. As part of her work, she has also advocated for inclusive care practices for the LGBTQ+ community.   

"We are incredibly proud to honor Dr. Mohottige for her exceptional contributions to the field of nephrology," said Dr. Kirk Campbell, President of the National Kidney Foundation.  "Her dedication to education, strong commitment to community engagement and improving the lives of kidney patients inspire us all. This award is a testament to the hard work and vision, and we are privileged to support her continued success in transforming care for those with CKD." 

Dr. Mohottige is also a member of the National Kidney Foundation Health Equity Taskforce, the National Kidney Foundation Transplant Advisory Committee, the New York City Coalition to end Racism in Clinical Algorithms, and the End-Stage Renal Disease National Coordinating Center Health Equity Committee. 

"Patients are at the center of all we do and are the "why" for all of us who are fortunate enough to care for people with kidney disease," said Dr. Mohottige. "From the research questions we ask, to the motivation needed to fight for truly equity-enhancing work and policy change, patient centeredness is foundational. NKF's commitment to patient-centered advocacy and education has always drawn me to the organization since I was a fellow, and I'm grateful to have many opportunities to have learned from so many talented and inspiring NKF partners." 

Dr. Mohottige received a BA in public policy and a health policy certificate from Duke University in 2006, where she was a Robertson scholar. Dr. Mohottige then earned an MPH in health behavior/health education from the University of North Carolina Gillings School of Global Public Health and a medical degree from The University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill School of Medicine, followed by internal medicine/chief residency and nephrology training at Duke University. 

NKF Spring Clinical Meetings
For more than 30 years, nephrology healthcare professionals from across the country have come to NKF Spring Clinical Meetings to learn about the newest developments related to all aspects of nephrology practice; network with colleagues; and present their research findings. The NKF Spring Clinical Meetings are designed for meaningful change in the multidisciplinary healthcare teams' skills, performance, and patient health outcomes. It is the only conference of its kind that focuses on translating science into practice for the entire healthcare team.  This year's Spring Clinical Meetings will be held April 9-13 in Boston, MA. 

Kidney Disease
In the United States, more than 35 million adults are estimated to have kidney disease, also known as chronic kidney disease (CKD)—and approximately 90 percent don't know they have it. About 1 in 3 adults in the U.S. are at risk for kidney disease. Risk factors for kidney disease include: diabetes, high blood pressure, heart disease, obesity, and family history. People of Black or African American, Hispanic or Latino, American Indian or Alaska Native, Asian American, or Native Hawaiian or Other Pacific Islander descent are at increased risk for developing the disease. Black or African American people are about four times as likely as White people to have kidney failure. Hispanics experience kidney failure at about double the rate of White people. 

NKF Professional Membership
Healthcare professionals can join NKF to receive access to tools and resources for both patients and professionals, discounts on professional education, and access to a network of thousands of individuals who treat patients with kidney disease. Visit https://www.kidney.org/membership to learn more and join our community today. 

About the National Kidney Foundation
The National Kidney Foundation is revolutionizing the fight to save lives by eliminating preventable kidney disease, accelerating innovation for the dignity of the patient experience, and dismantling structural inequities in kidney care, dialysis, and transplantation. For more information about kidney disease, please visit www.kidney.org/  

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SOURCE National Kidney Foundation