Gentzon Hall, MD, PhD

Faculty Member, Duke Molecular Physiology Institute

Position

Assistant Professor, Department of Medicine, Division of Nephrology

Contact

Carmichael Building

919 684 0727

gentzon.hall@duke.edu

Summary

Dr. Gentzon Hall is an Assistant Professor of Medicine and Nephrology at Duke University School of Medicine. He received his MD and PhD degrees at the University of Maryland, at Baltimore School of Medicine and completed his Internal Medicine Residency and Nephrology Fellowship training at Duke University. He is a faculty member at the Duke Molecular Physiology Institute where his laboratory focuses on the genetics of inherited kidney diseases with a special focus on focal segmental glomerulosclerosis (FSGS).

MD, PhD, University of Maryland

My research is focused on defining the molecular underpinnings of podocyte injury and dysfunction in nephrotic syndrome (NS) with a primary focus on focal segmental glomerulosclerosis (FSGS). FSGS is the most common primary glomerular disease that causes end-stage kidney disease in the US and is caused by injury or loss of glomerular visceral epithelial cells (i.e. podocytes). My scientific contributions in the field include the identification of a novel heterozygous missense mutation in Wilms’ Tumor 1 (WT1) that caused non-syndromic familial FSGS (1), the identification of a dominant negative effect of the LIM Homeobox Transcription Factor 1ß R246Q mutation on expression of WT1 (-KTS) isoforms that contributes to the renal-specific phenotype associated with Nail Patella-like Renal Disease (2), and the identification of impaired autophagy and ER stress pathway activation as the cause of podocyte dysfunction and apoptosis induced by the human FSGS-causing ANLN R431C mutation (3). The goal of my research program is to translate novel discoveries in renal genetics into rational therapies and diagnostic tools for patients with NS.