2026 #NephJCKidneys vote begins

After an extended nomination period, it is time to vote for your favorites. Like in the previous years, you will need to be a subscriber to the newsletter to be eligible to vote. By voting you let our content creators know how much they are contributing the the FOAMed goals of NephJC.

Just one week to vote!

The link to vote will be available in the newsletter.

Here is the final ballot:

Article of the Year

• PISCES trial: link| NephJC summary| Freely Filtered episode

• ACHIEVE trial- spironolactone in dialysis: link| NephJC summary| Freely Filtered episode

• VALIANT trial - pegcetacoplan in C3GN : link| NephJC summary

• ORIGIN3 trial- atacicept in IgAN: link| NephJC summary| Freely Filtered episode

• Primary aldosteronism underdiagnosed: link| NephJC summary

• ADPKD KDIGO guideline: link| NephJC summary| Freely Filtered episode

• REGENCY trial:- obinutuzumab in lupus nephritis link| NephJC summary| Freely Filtered episode

• Metformin in advanced CKD: link| NephJC summary| Freely Filtered episode

• HiLo- high vs low phosphorus target in dialysis: link| NephJC summary

Engaged Scientist of the Year

• Jonathan Barratt @IgAN_JBarratt

• Jordy Cohen @jordybc.bsky.social

• Charmaine Lok - PISCES

• Daniel Edmonston @danieledmonston.bsky.social

Nathan Hellman Social Media Project of the Year

• ISN social media team for Spaces

• Indian society of nephrology - social media team

• Roger Rodby for Renal Biopsy Cases

• Sophia Ambruso for abckidney.com

Most Valuable Player

Milagros Flores @dramiliflores.bsky.social

Brian Rifkin @brianrifkin.bsky.social

Akshaya Jaychandran @nephromommy-akshu.bsky.social

Visual Abstract of the Year

ISN-GKHA interactive map: From data to dialogue by Denisse Arellano

View fullsize

Akshaya Jaychandran ACHIEVE trial 

View fullsize

Husam Alzayer: incremental dialysis

View fullsize

Krithika Mohan: herb nephropathy

View fullsize

NephJC Social Justice Award

WHO kidney resolution and UN political declaration

World KIdney Day- Kidney health for all

NephJC on Instagram

NephJC continues to host its live journal clubs and real-time discussions on Bluesky where open dialogue, shared learning, and critical appraisal are central to what we do. For now, our scheduled chats and discussions will continue on Bluesky.

We are also expanding our presence on Instagram with a complementary goal. Instagram allows us to connect with nephrologists and the public who may not be active on X or Bluesky but who are still interested in practice-relevant research, methodology, and staying informed on ongoing NephJC activities. For many clinicians, Instagram serves as an accessible entry point rather than a space for in-depth discussion.

The NephJC editorial team recognizes that Instagram does not allow for the same type of open, back-and-forth dialogue that defines our journal clubs. We are not aiming to replicate that experience there. Instead, we see Instagram as a way to highlight important studies, share key concepts, and guide interested readers toward platforms where deeper discussion and engagement are possible.

Our commitment to thoughtful, inclusive, and rigorous discussion remains the same. Instagram is simply another way to welcome more colleagues into the NephJC community.

View fullsize

Taking the reigns

In April 2014, Swapnil and I launched NephJC—and within weeks we were overwhelmed by the sheer work of running a twice-monthly, Twitter-based journal club. Fortunately, we also had a deep bench of friends on the internet. A rotating cast of brilliant volunteers stepped in, proving the old fortune-cookie wisdom true: many hands make light work.

Over the years, both Swap and I have taken on new responsibilities and new roles. Swap even has a big announcement on the horizon. As NephJC has grown, we’ve had to confront the hardest part of any grassroots digital project: succession. The good news is we’ve been spoiled with talent. Two exceptional leaders have been (not so) quietly steering the ship for the last 18–24 months, so much so that most of you won’t notice any change at all.

Today we’re making it official:

Your new Editors-in-Chief of NephJC are Brian Rifkin and Cristina Popa.

Both are highly decorated graduates from the NSMC. Brian won Rookie of the Year in 2021 and Cristina followed right behind him in 2022. She also tacked on the MVP award in 2024.

Swap and I will still be around, but less.

Introducing NephJC Shorts

In just over a decade of critical appraisal on NephJC, we have done several experiments. Some of them have worked out phenomenally well, such as the Freely Filtered podcast. Others were not ready for the time, such as the Google Hangouts. We want to try another such experiment, and hope we receive feedback to decide if this is something worthwhile that we should continue doing.

There are many studies and many trials and many reviews, and many guidelines that are published in Nephrology every week. Indeed, it is a golden era for randomized controlled trials in Nephrology. On the other hand, NephJC only occurs twice a month. It does take a lot of work, with the detailed critical appraisal, readable summary, visual, abstracts, and the chats. Sometimes the occasional, irregularly irregular podcast. Hence, we cannot deal with all the worthwhile studies that are coming out.

Enter NephJC Shorts. 

This week, we are publishing a few short blogs. The purpose here is to cover some notable studies in brief. They do not receive the full, long, NephJC treatment. The articles we choose are those that the NephJC editorial team fancies, but suggestions are welcome. Since these are a shorter format, we don’t do a deep dive into the methods and don’t have a long list of the limitations and strengths. Think of them as a pithy version of the usual NephJC blog. Feedback welcome! 

The NephJC Editors