Dr. Jochen Reiser, president of the University of Texas Medical Branch and CEO of the UTMB Health System, has been awarded the Marilyn G. Farquhar Lifetime Research Achievement Award at the 15th International Podocyte Conference, held June 10 to 13, 2025, in Hamburg, Germany.
Presented by the International Society of Glomerular Disease during the International Podocyte Conference, the Farquhar Award honors individuals whose research has been foundational to understanding glomerular biology or the pathobiology of glomerular disease. Named for a trailblazing pioneer in cell biology and nephrology, the Farquhar Award recognizes a lifetime of significant research contributions.
Reiser’s pioneering work has transformed the field of nephrology. Leading the discovery of the soluble urokinase plasminogen activator receptor (suPAR) as a circulating risk factor for chronic kidney disease and focal segmental glomerulosclerosis, his studies have revealed deep mechanistic insights and propelled new diagnostic and therapeutic possibilities.
“Receiving the Marilyn G. Farquhar Lifetime Research Achievement Award is an immense honor—one that symbolizes the decades of work by my team to advance our understanding of podocyte biology and kidney disease,” said Reiser. “This recognition underscores how far our field has come and shines a light on the innovative science emerging from institutions such as UTMB.”
As president of UTMB, Reiser stewards an integrated academic health enterprise that includes the Galveston National Laboratory, multiple colleges of health sciences, and correctional health-care services across Texas.
Born in Remchingen, Germany, Reiser holds medical and Ph.D. degrees from Heidelberg University and completed postdoctoral training in nephrology at Albert Einstein College of Medicine and Harvard-affiliated hospitals.
With more than 250 publications and 28,000+ citations, his career includes leadership roles at Harvard, University of Miami, Rush University and now UTMB. His accolades include the Franz Volhard Award and membership in the German National Academy of Sciences, Leopoldina.