This ISN i3C podcast brings together leading ISN experts to unpack a new paper tackling one of nephrology’s biggest mysteries: chronic kidney disease of unknown origin (CKDu). The discussion explores why identifying the causes of CKDu has been so challenging—highlighting gaps in terminology, study design, and data collection—while questioning whether current research approaches are asking the right questions. Through expert insights and debate, the podcast emphasizes the need for standardized methods, stronger global collaboration, and a shift toward translating research into prevention, especially in low- and middle-income countries. The podcast closes by looking ahead to priority research areas and how the global community can get involved in advancing solutions. Listeners will come away with a deeper, more nuanced understanding of CKDu.

Participants:

• Ben Caplin (UK), ISN i3C Working Group Chair
• Magdalena Madero (Mexico), ISN i3C Working Group Deputy Chair
• Eranga Wijewickrama (Sri Lanka)
• Shuchi Anand (United States)

Augusto Cesar Soares dos Santos Junior hosts the latest episode of the Global Kideny Care podcast, and this special episode is part of the offerings for NephMadness 2026. Augusto is joined by Ana Catalina Alvarez Elias: Renal Research Institute, Lili Chan: Mount Sinai, Neil Reza Evans: UC Davis Health, and Kuang-Yu Jen: UC Davis Health, where they discuss the emerging role of Artificial Intelligence in nephrology. AI stands out as a truly transformative force and is reshaping how diseases are diagnosed, how nephrologists interpret complex data, and understand patients.

World Kidney Day (WKD) is observed annually on the second Thursday of March and in 2026 falls on March 12, under the theme “Kidney Health for All: Caring for People, Protecting the Planet”. Read more about WKD 2026 here.

In this episode, WKD Joint Steering Committee member Dr. Manjusha Yadla is joined by fellow committee members Dr. Natarajan Gopalakrishnan and Bill Wang to examine the growing connection between kidney health, climate change, and planetary well-being. The discussion explores climate change as an emerging risk factor for kidney disease and highlights the importance of prevention through education, awareness, and sustainable healthcare practices, underscoring the shared responsibility of clinicians, patients, and policymakers to protect kidney health, promote environmentally responsible care, and translate public-health frameworks into meaningful, long-term global action.