Viji Nair
Nephrology
W Medical Center Drive Ann Arbor MI 48109-5948
Ann Arbor, Michigan 48109
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About
Dr. Nair has more than 17 years of experience in bioinformatics and computational biology research in nephrology. Her research focuses on translational science, integrating multi-omic data from patients with various kidney disease etiologies. The goal is to identify key therapeutic targets for disease initiation and progression. Her approaches range from classic mathematical models to more complex AI/ML algorithms. These are used to integrate transcriptomic and proteomics profiles with clinical and structural endophenotypes, identifying biomarkers that predict disease progression and facilitate patient stratification. Dr. Nair's domain knowledge and expertise plays an integral role in identifying gene signatures that predict disease progression, linking these to non-invasive biomarkers, and interpreting their relevance to the underlying pathophysiology of the mechanisms under study. She has extensive experience in combining animal models with patient population data, which serves as critical validation tools in the preclinical space. She is also leading the bioinformatic/computational efforts in several of our academic and industry collaborative projects nationally and internationally.
Links
linkedin
Center Memberships
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Center MemberCenter for Computational Medicine and Bioinformatics
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Center MemberAI and Digital Health Innovation
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Center MemberData Analysts and Statisticians Cohort
Research Overview
Translational Science, bioinformatics and computational biology, Data Integration
Application of Bioinformatic/Computational Methods to Identify and Characterize Regulatory Mechanism Linked to Diabetic Kidney Disease /Chronic Kidney Disease
Precision Medicine in Kidney Diseases using Translational Research.
Patient Stratification and Risk modelling
Non-Invasive Biomarker and Target Discovery using Bioinformatic/Statistical/Machine learning approaches.
Recent Publications
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Nair V, Minakawa A, Smith C, Berthier CC, Hartman J, Menon R, Fermin D, Otto EA, Gisch DL, Eadon MT, Jain S, Choi YJ, Pyle L, Eichinger F, Alakwaa FM, Rose MP, Subramanian L, El Saghir J, Beamish JA, Hodgin JB, Brosius FC, Bjornstad P, Nelson PJ, Harder JL, Werner T, Kretzler M, Schaub JA. Signal Transduction and Targeted Therapy, 2026 Dec 1; 11 (1):Journal ArticleHypoxia inducible factor network reflects kidney disease progression in diabetes and sodium-glucose co-transporters inhibition
DOI:10.1038/s41392-026-02653-0 PMID: 42009641 -
Ju W, Nair V, Vart P, Smeijer JD, Hudkins KL, Moedt E, Larkina M, Perco P, Burdet F, Shedden K, Hwang M, Lee E, O’Connor C, Hartman J, Subramanian L, Bitzer M, Ibberson M, Duffin KL, Gomez MF, Alpers CE, Kretzler M, Heerspink HJL. Nature Communications, 2026 Dec 1; 17 (1):Journal ArticleUrinary clusterin as a biomarker of human kidney disease progression and response to the endothelin receptor antagonist atrasentan: An exploratory analysis from the SONAR trial
DOI:10.1038/s41467-026-68973-5 PMID: 41654492 -
Mariani LH, Eddy S, AlAkwaa FM, McCown PJ, Harder JL, Nair V, Eichinger F, Martini S, Ademola AD, Boima V, Reich HN, El Saghir J, Godfrey B, Ju W, Tanner EC, Vega-Warner V, Wys NL, Adler SG, Appel GB, Athavale A, Atkinson MA, Bagnasco SM, Barisoni L, Brown E, Cattran DC, Coppock GM, Dell KM, Derebail VK, Fervenza FC, Fornoni A, Gadegbeku CA, Gibson KL, Greenbaum LA, Hingorani SR, Hladunewich MA, Hodgin JB, Hogan MC, Holzman LB, Jefferson JA, Kaskel FJ, Kopp JB, Lafayette RA, Lemley KV, Lieske JC, Lin JJ, Menon R, Meyers KE, Nachman PH, Nast CC, O'Shaughnessy MM, Otto EA, Reidy KJ, Sambandam KK, Sedor JR, Sethna CB, Singer P, Srivastava T, Tran CL, Tuttle KR, Vento SM, Wang CS, Ojo AO, Adu D, Gipson DS, Trachtman H, Kretzler M. Kidney International, 2026 Nov 1; 110 (5): 1325 - 1326.Journal ArticleCorrigendum to “Precision nephrology identified tumor necrosis factor activation variability in minimal change disease and focal segmental glomerulosclerosis.” Kidney International 2023;103,565–579 (Kidney International (2023) 103(3) (565–579), (S0085253822009668), (10.1016/j.kint.2022.10.023))
DOI:10.1016/j.kint.2026.08.001 -
Moedt E, Koshino A, Jongs N, Ju W, Nair V, Kretzler M, Hansen MK, Arnott CG, Wheeler DC, Rossing P, Coca SG, Hammarstedt A, Greasley PJ, Bjornstad P, Bakker SJL, Heerspink HJL. Journal of the American Society of Nephrology, 2026 Oct 1; 37 (10):Journal ArticleAssociation of Urinary EGF with Kidney Outcomes and Effects of Sodium-Glucose Cotransporter 2 Inhibition
DOI:10.1681/ASN.0000001086 PMID: 41926219 -
Cheung CK, Barratt WA, Chaki S, Chinnakotla S, Dhaun N, Graham-Brown MPM, Griffin S, Hendry B, Howson A, Jama AAA, Ju W, Khan I, Komers R, Kretzler M, Mercer A, Moody S, Nair V, Nawaz N, Parke K, Roberts ISD, Sayer M, Sinha S, Szklarzewicz J, Willcocks L, Barratt J. Kidney International Reports, 2026 Sep 25; 107105Journal ArticleSparsentan as first-line treatment in IgA nephropathy from SPARTAN
DOI:10.1016/j.ekir.2026.107105 -
Moedt E, Ju W, Nair V, Bjornstad P, Kretzler M, Heerspink HJL. Nephrology Dialysis Transplantation Official Publication of the European Dialysis and Transplant Association European Renal Association, 2026 Aug 25; 41 (2): ii50 - ii58.Journal ArticleNovel protein biomarkers for risk stratification and personalized medicine
DOI:10.1093/ndt/gfag068 PMID: 41874429 -
Bjornstad P, Choi YJ, Narongkiatikhun P, Karihaloo A, Prasad PV, Li LP, Tommerdahl KL, Sethi M, Ramesh S, Birznieks C, Clarke A, Elia Y, Curtis J, Clarson C, Weissenkampen D, D’antonio M, Pinzon Cortes JA, Hampson H, Yuan L, van Eeghen SA, Kanter JE, Bornfeldt KE, Vaisar T, Ladd P, Heerspink HJL, de Boer IH, Goodrich JA, Street K, Tuttle KR, Bergmann KR, Smith C, Hodgin JB, Schaub JA, Nair V, Menon R, Naik AS, Mccown PJ, Alakwaa F, Eddy S, Otto E, Kim NH, Nelson RG, Puelles VG, van Raalte DH, Cherney DZI, Pyle L, Mahmud FH, Kretzler M. Science Translational Medicine, 2026 Jul 22; 18 (859):Journal ArticleSGLT2 inhibition modulates metabolic, vascular, and inflammatory molecular markers in the kidney in youth with type 1 diabetes
DOI:10.1126/scitranslmed.aee1005 PMID: 42485434 -
Liu L, Wang C, Kravets O, Fermin D, Eichinger F, Zanoni F, Khan A, Zhang JY, Ouyang Y, Li Q, Hamilton P, Kalra PA, Chinnadurai R, Reidy K, Kopp J, Mucha K, Smith C, Smith AR, Mcnulty M, Eddy S, Nair V, Helmuth ME, Vasylyeva TL, Smoyer WE, Berthier C, Parekh R, Wenderfer SE, Onugha E, Martin T, Sokolova K, Sealfon RSG, Theesfeld CL, Parsa A, Gbadegesin R, Sampson M, Sanna-Cherchi S, Troyanskaya OG, Paul DS, Petrovski S, Goldstein D, Mariani LH, Gharavi A, Columbia Genomics Consortium, NEPTUNE Consortium, CureGN Consortium , Kretzler M, Kiryluk K. 2026 Jul 20;PreprintAtlas of glomerular disease-specific genetic effects on blood transcriptome.
DOI:10.64898/2026.06.22.26356281 PMID: 42396300
