The Leaf Lab conducts patient-oriented research in acute kidney injury (AKI) and critical illness. Our goal is to develop novel approaches to prevent AKI, and to improve outcomes in patients who suffer from AKI. Read more about AKI.
Our research is highly collaborative and interdisciplinary and includes:
• Randomized trials
• Biomarker studies
• Genetics
• Epidemiology

News
JASN Associate Editor
October 9, 2023
David Leaf was selected to be an Associate Editor for the Journal of the American Society of Nephrology. His six-year term will begin in January, 2024.
Research Grant
October 1, 2023
Shruti Gupta received a Wong Family Award in Translational Oncology from Dana-Farber Cancer Institute for her proposal to study biomarkers of immune checkpoint inhibitor-associated AKI.
Grand Rounds
September 6, 2023
David Leaf presented Medicine Grand Rounds on STOP-COVID at Rush University Medical Center.
Grand Rounds
June 29, 2023
David Leaf presented Anesthesia Grand Rounds on STOP-COVID at Massachusetts General Hospital.
Grand Rounds
January 20, 2023
David Leaf gave Renal Grand Rounds on STOP-COVID at Johns Hopkins University.
Top Poster Award
September 30, 2022
Helena Kim’s poster entitled, “AKI-KRT in Allogeneic-HSCT Patients Admitted to the ICU: Incidence, Risk Factors, and Outcomes” was selected for a Top Poster Award at the American Society of Onconephrology’s annual Symposium.
Best Paper Award
September 2022
Shruti Gupta’s paper entitled, “Acute kidney injury in patients treated with immune checkpoint inhibitors” was selected by the Editorial Board of J Immunother Cancer as the best Clinical/Translational Cancer Immunotherapy Paper of 2021.
NIH R01 Grant
July 2022
David Leaf was awarded an R01 grant from the NIH/NIDDK for his proposal, “Hepcidin-Ferroportin-Iron Axis in Cardiac Surgery-associated Acute Kidney Injury.”
Promotion
June 2022
David Leaf was promoted to Associate Professor of Medicine at Harvard Medical School.
Medical School Acceptance
May 2022
Congratulations to Charlotte Thomas on being accepted into Harvard Medical School!
NIH K23 Grant
January, 2022
Shruti Gupta was awarded a K23 Career Development Award from the NIH/NIDDK for her proposal, “Novel Pathways and Therapeutic Targets for Cisplatin-Associated Acute Kidney Injury.”
American Society of Onconephrology
December, 2021
Shruti Gupta is the Founder and first President of the American Society of Onconephrology!
Match Day
December 1, 2021
Congratulations to Robert Hayden for matching at the BWH/MGH Joint Nephrology Fellowship Program.
Oral Abstract and Publication
November 4, 2021
Shruti Gupta’s abstract entitled, “Acute Kidney Injury in Patients Treated with Immune Checkpoint Inhibitors” was presented as an oral abstract at ASN Kidney Week, and was published in J Immunother Cancer.
Top Paper Award
January 27, 2021
Shruti Gupta’s paper entitled, “AKI Treated with Renal Replacement Therapy in Critically Ill Patients with COVID-19” was selected as one of the top 5 original research papers published in J Am Soc Nephrol in 2020.
NIH R01 Grant
September 1, 2020
David Leaf was awarded an R01 grant from the NIH/NIDDK for his proposal entitled, “Deferoxamine for the Prevention of Acute Kidney Injury.” The grant is funding DEFEAT-AKI, a phase II, multicenter, randomized, double-blind, placebo-controlled trial of iron chelation with deferoxamine for prevention of cardiac surgery-associated AKI.
NIH R01 Grant
May 1, 2019
David Leaf was awarded an R01 grant from the NIH/NHLBI for his proposal entitled, “Precision Medicine Approach to Vitamin D3 Administration in Critically Ill Patients.”
Media
October 22, 2020
Rheumatoid arthritis drug falls short as treatment for hospitalized Covid-19 patients in three studies
October 20, 2020
Rheumatoid arthritis drug tocilizumab advances as a COVID-19 treatment, as other regimens fall back, studies show
July 15, 2020
In Smaller Hospitals, COVID-19 Patients At Triple The Risk Of Dying, National Study Finds
January 29, 2020
New therapeutic target for acute kidney injury identified