Chief Medical Officer, National Kidney Foundation
Dr. Vassalotti is a Clinical Professor of Medicine in the Division of Nephrology at the Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai and the Chief Medical Officer of the National Kidney Foundation. His academic focus centers on primary care and population health for chronic kidney disease (CKD), with an emphasis on lifestyle interventions and the use of kidney—and cardioprotective medications.
Dr. Vassalotti spearheaded the development of the Kidney Health Evaluation for Adults with Diabetes quality measure, designed to enhance evidence-based CKD testing using estimated glomerular filtration rate (eGFR) and urine albumin-creatinine ratio (uACR) for detection, risk stratification, and to inform interventions. He served as the principal investigator for an AARP-funded Quality Measures Innovation grant, exploring the impact of Kidney Health Evaluation testing on detection, evidence-based care, and health equity. Currently, he is a co-investigator for the CDC’s Kidney Disease Surveillance System. These and other collaborations have culminated in over 100 publications in peer-reviewed journals.
In addition to research and care implementation activities, this nephrologist maintains an active clinical practice, seeing approximately 40 primarily local, international and second opinion patients per week and supervising nephrology fellows and other trainees.
Dr. Vassalotti prioritizes individualized patient engagement, empowering patients—particularly those with or at risk for kidney disease—to adopt healthier lifestyles.