Dr. Lewis' major area of research interest is the design and conduct of multi-center renal  clinical trials. She has had leadership roles in numerous NIH sponsored clinical trials including the MDRD,AASK,HEMO, SPRINT and numerous NIH and industry sponsored  Diabetic Nephropathy Trials. In these trials, in addition to being the PI at the Vanderbilt high enrolling and high performing center she has had numerous leadership roles for the overall trial including serving on or leading the protocol design ,form design , intervention, htn management,outcome classification and publication committees. 

 

She has been the lead PI for national and international studies. She also has played key roles in the Collaborative Study Group(CSG), an independent ARO, sitting  on its executive committee for over twenty years in charge of protocol development and more recently as President and treasurer . The CSG has been responsible for key clinical trials in nephrology leading to FDA approval of captopril and irbessrtan for diabetic nephropathy. More recently Dr Lewis led the clinical coordinating center,developed the protocol, forms and other key trial elements for the development of a novel phosphate binder which was approved by the  FDA. 

 

Dr. Lewis has served as head of several NIH and industry sponsored oversight /advisory panels for other studies. Lastly, Dr Lewis has sat on the cardio-renal FDA Advisory Board for a six year term and now serves as the chair of the FDA cardiorenal advisory committee. In her academic role Dr. Lewis, is a tenured professor of medicine in the division of nephrology at Vanderbilt University Medical Center, has over 200 publications in peer approved journals and is director of the renal fellowship training program at Vanderbilt.