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Julia Jarrard Scialla

Adjunct Associate Professor in the Department of Medicine
Medicine, Nephrology
Rm 7042 N Pavillion Bldg, 2400 Pratt Street, Durham, NC 27705
2400 Pratt Street, Rm 7042, Durham, NC 27705

Overview


Dr. Scialla is an Associate Professor of Medicine in Nephrology at Duke University and a faculty member at the Duke Clinical Research Institute.  Dr. Scialla trained in Internal Medicine, Nephrology, and Clinical Epidemiology at the Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine and the Johns Hopkins Bloomberg School of Public Health.  Her research focuses on chronic kidney disease (CKD) epidemiology and prevention, with an emphasis on the role of metabolic complications and nutrition. Current studies are focused on treatment and prevention of abnormal phosphate homeostasis, acid-base physiology, diabetic and other forms of kidney disease, and outcomes in end-stage kidney disease. 

Dr. Scialla’s work engages a number of study designs including prospective cohort studies, observational comparative effectiveness studies, and patient-oriented physiologic studies. She has worked closely with multiple chronic disease cohorts including the Chronic Renal Insufficiency Cohort (CRIC) Study, the African American Study of Kidney Disease and Hypertension (AASK), the Jackson Heart Study (JHS), and secondary analyses in clinical trials. Studies in electronic health records (EHR) and registries have engaged dialysis EHR data, the United States Renal Data System, and public registries, such as the National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey. Physiologic studies include the Acid Base Complication in CKD Study, secondary analyses in the DASH Mechanism Study, and the newly launched MURDOCK Kidney Health Study.

Current Appointments & Affiliations


Adjunct Associate Professor in the Department of Medicine · 2019 - Present Medicine, Nephrology, Medicine

Recent Publications


Chronic Kidney Disease-Mineral and Bone Disorder Management in 4D: The Case for Dynamic Treatment Regime Methods to Optimize Care.

Journal Article Curr Osteoporos Rep · March 25, 2025 PURPOSE OF REVIEW: Chronic Kidney Disease-Mineral and Bone Disorder (CKD-MBD) is a complex condition impacting patients with kidney failure and characterized by inter-related features such as hyperparathyroidism, hyperphosphatemia, and hypocalcemia. Curren ... Full text Link to item Cite

Distinguishing Among Causes of Death for Patients with Kidney Failure on Hemodialysis.

Journal Article Kidney360 · March 1, 2025 KEY POINTS: We found poor ability to distinguish among different causes of death using clinical information in the 30 days before death for patients on hemodialysis. We found that models of different causes of death identified similar associated clinical f ... Full text Link to item Cite

Chronic kidney disease-mineral and bone disorder: conclusions from a Kidney Disease: Improving Global Outcomes (KDIGO) Controversies Conference.

Conference Kidney Int · March 2025 In 2017, Kidney Disease: Improving Global Outcomes (KDIGO) published a Clinical Practice Guideline Update for the Diagnosis, Evaluation, Prevention, and Treatment of Chronic Kidney Disease-Mineral and Bone Disorder (CKD-MBD). Since then, new lines of evide ... Full text Link to item Cite
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Recent Grants


Duke CTSA (TL1) Year 5

Inst. Training Prgm or CMEMentor · Awarded by National Institutes of Health · 2018 - 2024

Establishing Evidence to Manage Geriatric Syndromes in Hemodialysis Patients

ResearchCo-Mentor · Awarded by ASN Foundation for Kidney Research · 2019 - 2023

Integrated Mineral Metabolism Treatment Strategies in Patients on Dialysis

ResearchPrincipal Investigator · Awarded by National Institutes of Health · 2017 - 2020

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Education, Training & Certifications


Johns Hopkins Unversity, Bloomberg School of Public Health · 2010 M.H.S.
University of Pennsylvania · 2003 M.D.