The Inner Circle Acknowledges, Sandra Amaral as a Pinnacle Life Member 2023 for her contributions to the field of Nephrology

WYNNEWOOD, Pa., July 25, 2023 /PRNewswire/ -- Prominently featured in The Inner Circle, Sandra Amaral is acknowledged as a Pinnacle Life Member 2023 for her contributions to the field of Nephrology.

Dr. Amaral pursued higher education at Wesleyan University where she earned a Bachelor's degree in Western European History, Philosophy, and Literature. She then attended the Medical College of Pennsylvania-Hahnemann University School of Medicine graduating with her medical degree and finished an internship and residency in pediatrics at the Medical College of Wisconsin in Milwaukee. She completed a fellowship in pediatric nephrology at Johns Hopkins in Baltimore and received a Master of Health Science degree in Biostatistics and Epidemiology from the Bloomberg School of Public Health at Johns Hopkins.

Dr. Amaral served as an Assistant Professor of Pediatrics at Emory University-Children's Healthcare of Atlanta from 2006-2011 prior to joining the Division of Nephrology at Children's Hospital of Philadelphia (CHOP). She is board-certified in both pediatrics and nephrology by the American Board of Pediatrics (ABP). The mission of the ABP is to advance child health by certifying pediatricians who meet standards of excellence and are committed to continuous learning and improvement.

Considered an expert in transplant medicine, Dr. Amaral is the Medical Director of the Kidney Transplant and Hand Transplant programs at CHOP, and she leads the Kidney Transplant Transition Clinic Program. Dr. Amaral is also the Founder & Director of the CHOP IT UP Cooking Camp Program for youth with kidney disease.

Dr. Amaral holds a Distinguished Endowed Chair with the Department of Pediatrics, and serves as an Associate Professor of Pediatrics and Associate Professor of Epidemiology at the Perelman School of Medicine at the University of Pennsylvania. She is an Associate Fellow of the Center for Health Behavior Research and the Leonard Davis Institute, and a Senior Scholar in the Center for Clinical Epidemiology and Biostatistics at the University of Pennsylvania.

Dr. Amaral treats many pediatric kidney conditions, across the age spectrum from infancy to young adult. These conditions include acute kidney injury; chronic kidney disease; congenital anomalies of the kidneys and urinary tract; glomerulonephritis; nephrotic syndrome; polycystic kidney disease; hemolytic uremic syndrome, hematuria and proteinuria as well as many rare kidney conditions. She said that nephrology is a specialty of medicine and pediatrics that concerns itself with the kidneys; the study of normal kidney function and kidney disease; the preservation of kidney health; the treatment of kidney disease from diet and lifestyle changes and medication to dialysis and transplant. Nephrologists have advanced training in treating kidney disease, diagnose and treat kidney failure, as well as help patients by prescribing medications; offering special diet advice; and coordinating dialysis care when the time comes.

Dr. Amaral is a staunch public policy advocate for children and young adults with renal disease and their caregivers. She serves on the American Society of Pediatric Nephrology (ASPN) Executive Council and previously chaired the ASPN Public Policy Committee and Program Committees. She has served on numerous United Network for Organ Sharing Committees and currently chairs the Vascular Composite Allograft Committee. She regularly engages in Capitol Hill Advocacy Days with the ASPN and the American Society of Nephrology.

Dedicated to staying abreast of the latest advancements, Dr. Amaral is a member of the International Pediatric Nephrology Association; the International Pediatric Transplant Association; the American Society of Transplantation; the American Society of Nephrology; and the American Society of Pediatric Nephrology. She also greatly contributes to the body of research in her fields of expertise. Her research is funded by the National Institutes of Health (NIH). She is focused on kidney transplantation with particular interests in reducing treatment burden for adolescents and young adults; designing studies to make daily medication regimens easier and diagnosing transplant injury earlier through innovative, non-invasive approaches. She currently leads the REACH-Transplant Study funded by the NIDDK to improve health equity in access to transplant for children and adults, with a focus on increasing access to living donation. She has research expertise in a wide variety of study designs, from mixed methods to clinical trials.

A testament to her vast experience and mastery of the field, Dr. Amaral is an editorial reviewer for the Journal of the American Society of Nephrology; the Clinical Journal of the American Society of Nephrology; the American Journal of Transplantation; Pediatric Nephrology; and Pediatric Transplantation. She attributes her success to excellent mentorship and supportive colleagues and staff and her favorite professional publications are the Journal of the American Society of Nephrology and the American Journal of Transplantation.

Dr. Amaral has received a plethora of accolades during her illustrious career, including the Philadelphia Magazine's Top Doctors in Pediatric Nephrology, 2023; Castle Connolly Top Doctor, Philadelphia, 2023; Castle Connolly Top Doctor, United States, 2015-2023; Selection to the American Society of Pediatric Nephrology Leadership Development Program, 2015; Healthcare Heroes Finalist, Physician category, Atlanta Business Chronicle, 2010; Guide to America's Top Pediatricians, Pediatric Nephrology, Consumers Research Council of America, 2010; Golden Apple Honorable Mention Award, Children's Healthcare of Atlanta Health Education Expo, recognizing outstanding accomplishment in healthcare education, 2008; Pediatric Research Funding Recipient, 2008; Clinical Innovator Award for New Program Development, Emory University, Department of Pediatrics, 2008; Best Doctors in America, 2007-2016; Joseph W. Crooks Faculty Development Award in Children's Health, Emory University, Department of Pediatrics, 2006; National Kidney Foundation Travel Award, 2006; National Kidney Foundation Mini-Grant recipient, 2004; Renal Disease Epidemiology Training Grant recipient, 2003; American Society of Pediatric Nephrology Travel Award, 2002; MCP-Hahnemann Student Research Fellowship Award, 1997; and Primary Care Scholar, Penn. State Univ. College of Medicine, Primary Care Initiative Program, 1995.

Aside from her professional pursuits, Dr. Amaral enjoys doing yoga, reading and cooking.

Contact:
Katherine Green
516-825-5634
[email protected]

SOURCE The Inner Circle