This year, the ANIO Academic Excellence award goes to Dr. Charuhas Thakar.
Dr. Charuhas V. Thakar currently serves as Professor with Tenure and Director of the Wellcome-Wolfson Institute for Experimental Medicine in the School of Medicine, Dentistry and Biomedical Sciences at Queen’s University Belfast, Northern Ireland. In this role, Dr. Thakar leads one of the United Kingdom’s top biomedical research institutes—ranked fourth nationally by the Research Excellence Framework—guiding more than 150 PhD students and post-doctoral scientists from over 30 countries and advancing research-led education across translational medicine and bioinformatics. 

Originally educated in Pune, India, Dr. Thakar completed clinical and research fellowships in nephrology at The Cleveland Clinic Foundation in Ohio. He began his academic career at the Cincinnati VA Medical Center and the University of Cincinnati (UC), where he was the Robert G. Luke Endowed Professor and Division Director of Nephrology in 2013.    

Dr. Thakar is globally acknowledged for his seminal research in acute kidney injury (AKI). His pioneering work on peri-operative kidney risk led to the development of a validated AKI prediction score that remains a benchmark for assessing kidney risk after cardiac surgery. Funded by the U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs, the NIH, and national foundations, his studies have deepened understanding of the intersection between kidney and cardiovascular disease. His research has appeared in leading journals including JCI, Annals of Internal Medicine, NEJM, JAMA, and The Lancet. At the Cincinnati VA, he served as site principal investigator for major multicenter clinical trials, including the PRESERVE, ISCHEMIA-CKD, Gout, and CSP-2008 Diabetic Nephropathy VA Cooperative Studies Programs. 

An accomplished editor and scholar, Dr. Thakar currently serves as Editor-in-Chief of Advances in Kidney Disease and Health, the official journal of the National Kidney Foundation, and will assume leadership of ASN’s Kidney360 journal in 2026—the first international editor to do so. He has served on scientific advisory and data safety boards for major clinical trials, contributing to the advancement of evidence-based nephrology worldwide. 

Dr. Thakar’s educational and philanthropic impact is equally distinguished. He has been a frequent faculty contributor to ASN and NKF national education programs, and has held visiting roles with nephrology societies across India, the Middle East, and Europe.  

A recipient of the 2024 American Society of Nephrology Distinguished Leadership Award, Dr. Thakar exemplifies the integration of scientific excellence, organizational transformation, and global collaboration. His career continues to inspire the next generation of physician-scientists and leaders in kidney health. ANIO congratulates Dr Thakar on this award for 2025.

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