Joachim H. Ix, MD, MAS is a Professor of Medicine, Chief of the Division of Nephrology-Hypertension and Vice Chair for Faculty Affairs, Department of Medicine at the University of California San Diego. He is also Staff Physician at the Veterans Affairs San Diego Healthcare System.  His research focuses on two main areas: (1) understanding the contributions of kidney tubule disease on CKD progression and (2) evaluating new approaches to treat CKD related mineral bone disorders.  On kidney biopsy, the degree of tubulo-interstitial atrophy and fibrosis is a strong prognostic marker for loss of kidney function, but is poorly captured by changes in eGFR or albuminuria.  His group has led research evaluating whether urine proteins that mark kidney tubule damage and dysfunction predict CKD progression independent of eGFR and albuminuria.  This work has led to important insights into monitoring in interventions and drugs that change eGFR and initiation of randomized clinical trials that aim to prevent tubulo-interstitial fibrosis.  In CKD mineral bone disorders, Dr. Ix has led NIH funded clinical trials evaluating novel therapies aimed at lowering serum phosphate and fibroblast growth factor-23 concentrations in CKD patients.  In addition, his team is evaluating novel approaches to diagnose and treat CKD related bone disease using bone biopsies.