Thomas Kleyman

Sheldon Adler Distinguished Professor of Medicine and Chief of the Renal-Electrolyte Division | University of Pittsburgh
Director | Pittsburgh Center for Kidney Research

Thomas Kleyman, MD, is the Sheldon Adler Distinguished Professor of Medicine and Chief of the Renal-Electrolyte Division at the University of Pittsburgh. He is also a Professor of Cell Biology, and of Pharmacology and Chemical Biology, and is the Director of the Pittsburgh Center for Kidney Research. Dr. Kleyman served as the editor-in-chief of the American Journal of Physiology: Renal Physiology, and as the editor-in-chief of Physiological Reports. He has served on numerous editorial boards and study sections. Dr. Kleyman is a member of the American Society for Clinical Investigation and the Association of American Physicians. His work is currently supported by grants from the NIH, and he is the principal investigator of a George M. O’Brien Kidney Research Center.

Dr. Kleyman’s research is in the area of epithelial transport physiology, focusing on ion channels in the distal aspects of the nephron, including epithelial Na+ channels (ENaC), large conductance Ca2+ activated K+ channels (BK), and mechanosensitive Piezo1 channels. His group is examining mechanisms by which external factors, including Na+, proteases, and shear stress, regulate the activity of ENaC. They developed and are studying mouse models to elucidate the roles of external Na+ and proteases in regulating ENaC and blood pressure in vivo. They are also studying the role of ENaC in extrarenal tissues in regulating blood pressure. They are using mouse models to examine the roles of large conductance, Ca2+ activated K+ channels and Piezo1 channels in mediating flow-induced K+ secretion.