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The ISN Emerging Leaders Program (ELP) develops leadership potential to drive change in global kidney health. Since its launch, it has become a catalyst for early-career nephrologists and researchers to champion advocacy, expand research, and foster innovation in kidney care worldwide. 

Hurry – apply for the ISN Emerging Leaders Program by September 15! 

Here are some inspiring ways ELP members are advancing the field: 

From cohort 1 

Rahul Chanchlani (Canada): Advancing research and mentoring the next generation 

Rahul Chanchlani, president-elect of the Canadian Association of Pediatric Nephrologists and deputy chair of the ISN Clinical Research Program Committee, focuses his research on hypertension and acute kidney injury (AKI) in children. He has led major research projects funded by the Canadian Institutes of Health Research and the Kidney Foundation of Canada, earning the 2024 Renee Habib Young Investigator Award from IPNA. 

Through the ELP, Rahul has collaborated on post-discharge follow-up initiatives for AKI patients with colleagues from Uganda, India, and Sri Lanka and contributed to ISN’s AKI Toolkit. Now an ISN Mentor, he continues to guide early-career nephrologists in India and Bangladesh. 

Muhammad Iqbal Abdul Hafidz (Malaysia): Leading advocacy for transplantation 

As head of the nephrology unit and transplant program at Hospital Al-Sultan Abdullah, Universiti Teknologi MARA, Muhammad Iqbal Abdul Hafidz combines clinical leadership with global advocacy. Now deputy chair of the ISN Advocacy Working Group, he has advanced transplantation in Malaysia by establishing a histocompatibility and immunogenetics lab under the ISN–TTS Sister Transplant Centers Program. 

His contributions to the Professor Donal O’Donoghue Global Kidney Policy Forum and national advocacy campaigns highlight how the ELP nurtures leaders who influence both local policy and international health agendas. 

From cohort 2 

Ehab Hafiz (Egypt): Driving sustainability in nephrology 

Thanks to the ELP’s mentorship and collaborative work on green and sustainable nephrology, renal pathologist Ehab Hafiz gained the confidence to propose a national initiative on water salvage from dialysis units, which is now progressing toward multi-institutional agreements. 

Recently promoted to assistant professor, he also co-hosted an ISN Fellow from Ethiopia for a three-month training in nephropathology, thereby strengthening regional capacity.  

Divya Bajpai (India): Championing equity and education 

Divya Bajpai, a nephrologist and transplant physician at Seth G.S.M.C. and K.E.M. Hospital in Mumbai, has expanded her influence across education, advocacy, and women’s health. She serves as associate editor of the Indian Journal of Nephrology, joint secretary of WIN-India, and member of the ISN South Asia Regional Board. 

Through the ELP’s focus on sustainable nephrology, Divya has developed innovative educational materials for the ISN’s Social Media Education team — from interactive quizzes and visual abstracts to animations highlighting everyday actions that reduce carbon footprints.  

Are you ready to shape the future of kidney care — locally and globally? Apply to the ISN Emerging Leaders Program by September 15! 

The ELP is supported by unrestricted educational grants from AstraZeneca and Boehringer Ingelheim.