Matthew A. Sparks

I serve as the Program Director for the Nephrology Fellowship Program, where my primary goal is to support each fellow in building a successful and fulfilling career—whether in clinical practice, research, education, or advocacy. I am also the lead for the Society for Early Education Scholars (SEEDS) within the Department of Medicine. SEEDS is a year-long, mentored education program designed for fellows pursuing careers as clinician educators or education scholars.

My passion lies in advancing medical education, particularly in nephrology. I am the co-founder and advisory board member of the AJKD Blog, the first nephrology blog affiliated with a major journal—the American Journal of Kidney Diseases. I co-created NephMadness, a widely recognized and innovative educational initiative. I previously served as deputy editor of the Renal Fellow Network, where I remain actively involved as faculty lead.

I am also a member of the Board of Directors of NephJC, a nonprofit organization that champions free, open-access medical education in nephrology. Nationally, I serve on the Nephrology Board of the American Board of Internal Medicine, past chair of the Scientific and Clinical Education Lifelong Learning Committee of the American Heart Association’s Kidney in Cardiovascular Disease Council, and am a Fellow of the American Society of Nephrology (ASN), American Heart Association (AHA), and National Kidney Foundation (NKF). I serve as advisory board member and associate director of NephSIM Nephrons virtual mentorship program for trainees interested in nephrology. 

Additionally, I serve as the Director of Communication for the ASN Portfolio of Journals, including JASN, CJASN, and Kidney360.

Past Research

• Hypertension and Kidney Hemodynamics: My past research delved into the mechanisms of blood pressure regulation, focusing on the renin-angiotensin system and prostanoid pathways. Utilizing genetically modified mouse models, you investigate how alterations in renal microcirculation influence sodium excretion and blood pressure, aiming to identify novel therapeutic targets for hypertension.

• SGLT2 Inhibitors and Kidney Disease: I have contributed to understanding the pathophysiology of kidney diseases and the mechanisms of action of SGLT2 inhibitors, highlighting their role in managing chronic kidney disease and associated cardiovascular risk.

• My clinical interests are glomerular diseases- particularly IgA nephropathy, membranous nephropathy, C3 glomerulopathy, and lupus nephritis.

• I also have expertise in genetic kidney diseases, ADPKD, quality improvement in outpatient nephrology, and CKRT in the ICU.

• I serve as the director of the Duke Nephrology Fellow Clinic

• Excellence in Education Award, Duke Department of Medicine, 2016
• Young Physician-Scientist Award, American Society for Clinical Investigation (ASCI), 2017
• Midcareer Distinguished Educator Award, American Society of Nephrology (ASN), 2022

• The Nephron Segment

• ASN Kidney Translation Podcast

Connect with me on BlueSky: @NephroSparks