The University of Michigan Kidney Epidemiology and Cost Center
Yi Li, Ph.D., Biostatistics - Director
John D. Kalbfleisch, Ph.D., Biostatistics - Associate Director
Rajiv Saran, M.D., Internal Medicine - Associate Director
Richard Hirth, Ph.D., Health Management and Policy - Associate Director
John C. Magee, M.D. Surgery-Associate Director
Valarie B. Ashby, MA., Co-Managing Director
Tempie E. Shearon, MS., Co-Managing Director
Randall Webb, B.A., Managing Director
| History of KECC | Faculty |
| Associated Agencies | KECC Staff |
The University of Michigan Kidney Epidemiology and Cost Center is an interdisciplinary research group comprised of faculty, staff, students and research fellows, from the following Schools and Departments at the University of Michigan.
School of Public Health
Medical School
- Internal Medicine
- Nephrology Division
- Pulmonary and Critical Care Division
- Surgery
- Gastroenterology
Cardiovascular Center
Transplant Center
Other Associations
UM-KECC carries out epidemiological, clinical, medical outcomes, public policy, and economic research relating to: End-Stage Renal Disease (ESRD), Chronic Kidney Disease (CKD), and Organ transplantation.
Funding for this research is provided by these agencies:
- Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services (CMS)
- Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC)
- American Society of Transplant Surgeons
- Arbor Research Collaborative for Health
- Health Resources and ServicesAdministration (HRSA)
- National Institutes of Health (NIH)
- National Institute of Diabetesand Digestive and KidneyDiseases (NIDDK)
- National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases (NIAID)
- Renal Research Institute
- Scientific Registry of Transplant Recipients
UM-KECC research typically involves statistical analysis of large data sets drawn from clinical and administrative data systems. Some projects also involve primary data collection. UM-KECC maintains a comprehensive historical patient and provider level data on about 1.8 million ESRD patients drawn primarily from Medicare data. The UM-KECC offices are located in downtown Ann Arbor, Michigan.
Return to top
Faculty and Staff
Faculty and collaborators at UM KECC
| Name | University Department or Division |
| Brenda Wilson Gillespie, Ph.D. | Office of the Vice President for Research & Public Health/ Biostatistics |
| Richard A. Hirth, Ph.D. | Public Health/Health Management & Policy |
| Michael Heung, M.D. | Internal Medicine/Nephrology |
| John D. Kalbfleisch, Ph.D. | Public Health/Biostatistics |
| Alan B. Leichtman, M.D. | Internal Medicine/Nephrology |
| Yi Li, Ph.D. | Public Health/Biostatistics |
| Yun Li, Ph.D. | Public Health/Biostatistics |
| Anna Lok, M.D. | Internal Medicine/Gastroenterology |
| John C. Magee, M.D. | Surgery/Transplantation |
| Fernando Martinez, M.D. | Internal Medicine/Pulmonary/Critical Care |
| Joseph Messana, M.D. | Internal Medicine/Nephrology |
| Susan Murray, Ph.D. | Public Health/Biostatistics |
| Akinlolu O. Ojo, M.D., Ph.D. | Internal Medicine/Nephrology |
| Pandu Rao, M.D. | Internal Medicine/Nephrology |
| Rajiv Saran, M.D., M.S. | Internal Medicine/Nephrology |
| Douglas E. Schaubel, Ph.D. | Public Health/Biostatistics |
| Phillip Scott, M.D. | Emergency Medicine |
| Vahakn B. Shahinian, M.D., M.S. | Internal Medicine/Nephrology |
| Richard D. Swartz, M.D. | Internal Medicine/Nephrology |
| John R. C. Wheeler, Ph.D. | Public Health/Health Management & Policy |
| Robert A. Wolfe, Ph.D. | Public Health/Biostatistics |
| Eric W. Young, M.D. | Internal Medicine/Nephrology |
| Min Zhang, Ph.D. | Public Health/Biostatistics |
UM KECC Staff
| Name | Position |
| Valarie B. Ashby | Co-Managing Director / Senior Research Analyst |
| Cora Brunton | Senior Programmer/Analyst |
| Sandra Callard | Senior Programmer/Analyst |
| Flannery Campbell | Research Analyst |
| Sarah Casino | Research Analyst |
| Deanna Chyn | Research Analyst |
| Richard Eikstadt | Senior Programmer/Analyst |
| Elizabeth Hedgeman | Research Analyst |
| Neil Kamdar | Senior Programmer/Analyst |
| Greg Levine | Programmer Senior Supervisor |
| Lingqun Liu | Senior Programmer/Analyst |
| Natalie Lueth | Research Analyst |
| Tammie Nahra | Research Scientist |
| Claire Ostrowski | Administrative Assistant |
| Matt Paul | Research Analyst |
| Casey Parrotte | Research Analyst |
| Ying Qian | Research Analyst |
| Susan Reimann | Senior Administrative Assistant |
| Erik Roys | Senior Programmer/Analyst |
| Robin Sands | Research Analyst |
| Tempie Shearon | Co-Managing Director / Senior Research Analyst |
| Kathryn K. Sleeman | Senior Programmer/Analyst |
| Rena Sun | Research Analyst |
| Anca Tilea | Senior Research Analyst |
| Lana Tyrrell | Project Manager |
| Randall Webb | Managing Director |
| Karen Ann Wisniewski | Research Analyst |
| Wei Zhang | Research Analyst |
| Dawn Zinsser | Senior Programmer/Analyst |