Hackensack Meridian Children’s Health Medical Director of Pediatric Kidney Transplant Appointed as Co-Chair of National Kidney Transplant Working Group

Newswise — Namrata G. Jain, MD, medical director of Pediatric Kidney Transplant at Joseph M. Sanzari Children’s Hospital at Hackensack University Medical Center, and associate professor of Pediatrics at Hackensack Meridian School of Medicine, has been appointed co-chair of the Transplant Working Group of the prestigious Pediatric Nephrology Research Consortium (PNRC). 

Hackensack Meridian Children’s Health has a robust pediatric kidney transplant program in the New York metropolitan area. Hackensack University Medical Center’s Kidney Transplant Program, which also serves pediatric patients, is among the fastest-growing in the nation.  Patients who come to Hackensack for kidney transplantation have much shorter waiting times to receive a deceased donor kidney than other centers in the tri-state area due to the practice of a high-rate of organ acceptance.

“It is an honor to be chosen by the PNRC board to help lead and funnel research studies in the transplant group,” says Dr. Jain.  “I have been a member of this group since 2018 and I am grateful to the mentorship I have received.  I look forward to providing a supportive structure for my colleagues for their academic pursuits in the continuing optimization of pediatric transplant care.”  

The PNRC was established initially in 2004 as the Midwest Pediatric Nephrology Research Consortium (MWPNC) and now has expanded to 125 sites across the country. Effective October 2023, for a two-year term, Dr. Jain’s appointment distinguishes her as a national expert in pediatric kidney transplant and contributor to research in the field. In her role as co-chair of the Transplant Working Group, she will lead colleagues in developing multi-center consortium transplant studies leading to publications to further advance best practices in pediatric kidney transplant care.

Additionally, she serves as the principal/co-investigator on three multi-center PNRC studies, collaborating with colleagues nationally. Dr. Jain is committed to clinical research that improves quality outcomes for her patients. She is the co-author of numerous publications in high-impact journals. As a result of her expertise and work, Dr. Jain was recently asked by the board to present a lecture on “How to get your study off the ground” at the organization’s October 2022 meeting at Washington University in St. Louis, MO.. 

“Dr. Jain’s appointment as co-chair of the PNRC reflects her nephrology expertise and commitment to ongoing research that benefits her patients at Hackensack Meridian Health, as well as children across the globe,” said Judy Aschner, MD, physician-in-chief for Pediatrics, Hackensack Meridian 

Children’s Health. “We look forward to Dr. Jain’s contributions to developing evidence-based best practices in pediatric kidney transplant care in her new leadership role at the PNRC.”

About Dr. Namrata Jain

Board certified in pediatrics and pediatric nephrology, Dr. Jain earned her medical degree from New York Medical College. She completed her residency in pediatrics at Children’s Memorial Hospital (now Lurie Children’s Hospital) / Northwestern University’s Feinberg School of Medicine in Chicago, and a fellowship in pediatric nephrology and transplant at Boston Children’s Hospital / Harvard Medical School. She is fluent in English and Assamese, and proficient in medical Spanish. She also is currently serving an appointed 3 year term on the Organ Procurement Transplant Network’s (OPTN) Pediatric Committee 2022-2025 to advocate for national public policy regarding pediatric solid organ transplant..  

About Hackensack Meridian Children’s HealthHackensack Meridian Children’s Health provides the most comprehensive and highest level of quality care to young patients in the state of New Jersey. The children’s network is comprised of two children’s hospitals – Joseph M. Sanzari Children’s Hospital at Hackensack University Medical Center in Hackensack and K. Hovnanian Children’s Hospital at Jersey Shore University Medical Center in Neptune – and a large network of pediatric subspecialists and pediatricians. Both hospitals ranked #1 in New Jersey in the U.S. News World Report 2023-24 Best Children’s Hospital Report. The combined cancer, nephrology, neurology & neurosurgery, and urology programs at both hospitals ranked among the top 50 in the nation in the U.S. News & World Report. Visit www.hackensackmerdianhealth.org/kids for more information about Hackensack Meridian Children’s Health.