Dr. George Nassar ~ Profile

Educational Background

Medical Degree
American University of Beirut, Lebanon
1988

Internal Medicine Residency

Residency in Internal Medicine,

Emory University School of Medicine Atlanta, GA

1989-92

Nephrology Fellowship
Fellowship in Nephrology,

Emory University School of Medicine Atlanta, GA


1992-95


Certification and Licensure

Georgia State Medical License

1992 (inactivated 1998)

Commonwealth of Virginia Medical License

1994 (inactivated 1998)

Texas State Medical License

1997- Present

Drug Enforcement Agency (DEA)

1994 - Present

American Board of Internal Medicine

1992, 2000, and 2012

American Board of Nephrology

1994, 2000, and 2012

American Society of Diagnostic and Interventional Nephrology Certificate
2004, 2009, 2014

Laboratory Medicine, COLA Certificate for Lab Director   
Lab Director Certificate of Moderate Complexity
2012-2017


Present and Past Academic Titles

Professor of Clinical Medicine, Institute of Academic Medicine,

Houston Methodist Hospital, Houston, TX
6/2018-Present

Professor of Clinical Medicine, Weill Cornell Medicine
12/2018-Present

Adjunct Faculty, Clinical Educator, Texas A&M University               
2015-present

Key Faculty, Nephrology Fellowship Program,

Houston Methodist Hospital, Houston, TX
2012-Present

Clinical Associate Professor, Weill-Cornell University & Houston Methodist Hospital, Houston, TX
2005-2018

Clinical Assistant Professor of Medicine,

Baylor College of Medicine, Houston, TX

8/2000-2005

Assistant Professor of Medicine, and member of Baylor Nephrology Associates, Baylor College of Medicine, Houston, TX

8/1998-7/2000

Assistant Professor of Medicine, Baylor College of Medicine and Houston Veterans Affairs Medical Center, Houston, TX

8/1997-7/2000

Assistant Professor of Medicine, Medical College of Virginia and McGuire Veterans Affairs Hospitals, Richmond, VA

7/1995-7/1997


Hospital Privileges

The Houston Methodist, Houston, TX
Staff Member 
1999-Present

St. Luke’s Episcopal Hospital, Houston, TX
Staff Member

1999-Present

Kindred Hospital, Houston, TX
Staff Member 
1999-Present

Select Specialty Hospital, Houston, TX

Staff Member

1999-2017

Memorial Herman Hospital, Houston, TX

Staff Member
2001-2008


Present and Past Society Memberships and Offices Held

National Kidney Foundation  (NKF)
Chairman, Medical Advisory Board
National Kidney Foundation of Southeast Texas 2010-2013

Member 1992-present

American Society of Nephrology (ASN)

Member 1992-present

International Society of Nephrology (ISN)

Member 1996-2010

American Society of Diagnostic and Interventional Nephrology (ASDIN)
Bibliography Website Editor 2004-2008
National Board Committee member 2012-2015
National Board Committee member 2/2019-present
Member 2003-present

Harris County Medical Society, Houston, Texas           
1998-present

American College of Physicians
Fellow of the American College of Physicians (FACP)   
2103-present

American Society of Nephrology
Fellow of the American Society of Nephrology (FASN)
2010-present

Distinctions, Prizes, and Awards

B.S. in Biology with Distinction 1984
American University of Beirut, Lebanon

Dean’s Honor List, Medical School,
American University of Beirut 1984-1986

Recipient of the National Kidney Foundation Research Fellowship Grant 7/1994-6/1996

Recipient of Virginia National Kidney Foundation Local Grant

7/1995

Recipient of local Virginia Commonwealth University A. D. Williams Research Grant 10/1995

Recipient of the National Kidney Foundation Young Investigator Grant    7/1996-6/1999

Recipient of Novartis Investigator Initiated Research Grant

6/1999-6/2000

Honoree of the Year 2008
National Kidney Foundation of South-East Texas               
       
First Position Abstract Presentation Award 2011
American Society of Diagnostic and Interventional Nephrology
         
William Litchfield Humanitarian Service Award 2014       
First Recipient of this annual Award by American Society of
Diagnostic and Interventional Nephrology   
           
First Position Abstract Poster Presentation Award     2018   
American Society of Diagnostic and Interventional Nephrology

Research                               

BASIC SCIENCE:
Research Tract Renal Fellowship 1992-1995
Emory University School of Medicine
Two years of basic science research in area of glomerular injury, cytokines, and arachidonic acid metabolites

Research Tract Assistant Professor of Medicine 1995-1997
Medical College of Virginia and McGuire VAMC
Two years of basic science research in area of glomerular injury and phospholipase A2

Clinical Research

Investigator-Initiated Clinical Research
         -Combination use of ACE-I and CCB in Diabetic Nephropathy

1998-2000

        -Infectious Complications of the Dialysis AV Access

2001-2004
(see related abstracts and publications)

        -Dialysis Access Monitoring  2002
         (see related abstracts)
         -Endovascular salvage of AVF  2001-2008
         (see related publication)
         -Thrombectomy of dialysis access   2001-2015
         -Endovascular stents for AC access salvage  2008-2016
         (see related publication)
         -AVF Stenosis Anatomic and functional correlations   2017-present
         (see related abstracts and publications)
       

Pharmaceutical Company Sponsored Multi-center Trials  2001-present
         -Use of erythropoeisis stimulating agents in Anemia in Chronic

Kidney Disease  2001-2015

        -Calcimimmetics in Chronic Kidney Disease  2002-2005
         -Calcimimmetics in Chronic Kidney Disease  2013-2015
         -Phosphate Binders in ESRD  2003-2009
         -Iron Products in CKD and ESRD  2007-2009
         -Experimental Medications to slow Diabetic Kidney Disease

2011-2013

        -Use of Hypoxia Inducible Factors (HIF) in management of

Anemia  2014-Present

President and co-founder of Renal Research, Inc., a non-profit             

Research organization affiliated with Nephrology Dialysis and
Transplantation Associates at “The Kidney Institute” in Houston, TX

2001-Present

President and co-founder of Millennium Research, an organization         dedicated to clinical research by the “Nephrology, Dialysis, and
Transplantation Associates” at the “Kidney Institute” in Houston, TX

2008- 2019

President and co-founder of Clinical Research Strategies, an organization dedicated to clinical research by the “Nephrology, Dialysis, and
Transplantation Associates” at the “Kidney Institute” in Houston, TX

2016-Present

Publications
Peer Reviewed Articles

1.  Sharafuddin, M., Nassar, G. M., and Nassar, C. F.: Taurine transport across the small intestine of adult and suckling rats. Comparative Biochemistry and Physiology, 91:33-36, 1988.

2.  Maklouf, N.A., Nassar, G. M., Maklouf, M., and Habbal, Z.: Adenosine deaminase activity in various pathological effusions.  Lebanese Medical Journal, 40(3): 142-4, 1992.

3.  Nassar, G. M., Morrow, J.D., Roberts, L.J. II, Lakkis, F.G., and Badr, K.F.: Induction of 15-lipooxygenase by IL-13 in human blood monocytes. Journal of Biological Chemistry, 269; 44:27631-34, 1994.

4.  Nassar, G. M., Fukunaga, M., Montero, A., and Badr, K.F.: Contrasting effects of proinflammatory (IL-1 and IFN-alpha) and T-helper lymphocyte subset-2 (IL-4 and IL-13) cytokines on the 5-lipoxygenae pathway in monocytes. Kidney International, 51:1520-1528, 1997.

5.  Lakkis, F. G., Cruet E. N., Nassar, G. M., Badr, K. F., and Pascual D. W.: Expression of recombinant rat interleukin-13 (IL-13) and generation of a neutralizing rat IL-13 antiserum. Biochem. Biophys. Res. Comm. 235, 529-532, 1997.

6.  Nassar, G. M., Pedro, P. Remmers R.E., Mohanty, L. B., and Smith W.: Reversible renal failure in a patient with the hypereosinophilia syndrome during therapy with alpha interferon. Am. J. Kidney Dis. 31: 121-126, 1998.

7.  Yura T., Fukunaga M, Khan R, Nassar G. M., Badr, K.F. and Montero A. Free-radical-generated F2-isoprostane stimulates cell proliferation and endothelin-1 expression on endothelial cells. Kidney Int. 56: 471-478, 1999.

8.  Charney DA., Nassar G. M., Troung L., Nadasdy T. Pauci-immune proliferative and necrotizing glomerulonephritis with thrombotic microangiopathy in patients with systemic lupus erythematosus and lupus-like syndrome. Am J Kidney Dis. 35(6): 1193-1206, 2000.

9.  Montero A., Nassar G.M. Uda S., Munger KA., Badr K.F. Reciprocal regulation of LTA4 hydrolase expression in human monocytes by gamma-interferon and interleukins 4 and 13: potential relevance to leukotriene regulation in glomerular disease. Exp Nephrol 8:258-265, 2000.

10.  Troung LD, Choi Y-J, Tsao CC, Ayala G., Sheikh-Hamad D., Nassar G. M., and Suki W.N. Renal cell apoptosis in chronic obstructive uropathy: The roles of caspases. Kidney Int. 60: 924-934, 2001.

11. Baranowska-Daca E, Choi YJ, Barrios R, Nassar G. M., Suki WN, Troung LD. Nonlupus nephritides in patients with systemic lupus erythematosus: a comprehensive clinicopathologic study and review of the literature. Hum Pathol 32(10):1125-35, 2001.

12. Choi Y.J, Mendoza L, Rha S.J., Sheikh-Hamad D, Baranowska-Daca E, Nguyen V, Smith C.W., Nassar G.M., Suki WN, Troung LD. Role of p53-dependent activation of caspases in chronic obstructive uropathy: evidence from p53 null mutant mice. J Am Soc Nephrol 12(5):983-992.

13.  Nassar, G.M., Fishbane, S., and Ayus, J.C. Occult infection of old nonfunctioning arteriovenous grafts: A novel cause of erythropoietin resistance and chronic inflammation in hemodialysis patients. Kidney Int. 61 (Supplement 80): S44-48, 2002.

14.  Nassar, G.M., and Ayus, J.C. Infectious Complications of old nonfunctioning arteriovenous grafts (AVGs) in renal transplant recipients: A case series. Am J Kidney Dis. 40:832-836, 2002.

15.  Lopez-Gomez, J. M., Perez-Flores, I., Jofre, R., Carretero, D., Rodriguez-Benitez, P., Villaverde, M., Perez-Garcia, R., Nassar, G.M., Niembro E., and Ayus, J. C. Presence of a failed kidney transplant in patients who are on hemodialysis is associated with chronic inflammatory state and erythropoietin resistance. J. Am. Soc. Neph. 15:2494-2502, 2004.

16. Martin K.J., Juppner H., Sherrard D.J., Goodman, W.G., Kaplan M.R., Nassar G.M., Campbell P., Curzi M., Charytan C., McCary L.C., Guo M.D., Turner S.A., Bushinsky D.A. First- and second- generation immunometric PTH assays during treatment of hyperparathyroidism with cinacalcet HCl Kidney Int 58(3):1236-43, 2005.

17.    Achkar, K., Nassar G.M. Salvage of a severely dysfunctional arteriovenous fistula with a strictured and occluded outflow tract. Sem. Dial. 18(4):336-42, 2005.

18. Nassar G.M., Nguyen B., Rhee, E., Achkar K. Endovascular treatment of the “Failing to Mature” arteriovenous fistula. C J Am Soc Nephrol  1:275-280, 2006.

19. Levin NW, Fishbane S, Cañedo FV, Zeig S, Nassar GM, Moran JE, Villa G, Beyer U, Oguey D; MAXIMA study investigators. Intravenous methoxy polyethylene glycol-epoetin beta for haemoglobin control in patients with chronic kidney disease who are on dialysis: a randomised non-inferiority trial (MAXIMA). The Lancet  370(9596):1415-21, 2007.

20. Wish JB, Nassar GM, Schulman K, del Aguila M, Provenzano R. Postdialysis outcomes associated with consistent anemia treatment in predialysis patients with chronic kidney disease. Clin Nephrol. 69(4):251-9, 2008.

23. Nassar G.M., Long-term performance of the hemodialysis reliable outflow (HeRO) device: the 56-month follow-up of the first clinical trial patient. Sem. Dial., Semin Dial. 2010 Mar-Apr;23(2):229-32.

24. Ramanathan V, Riosa S, Al-Sharif AH, Mansouri MD, Tranchina A, Kayyal T, Abreo AP, Aslam S, Nassar G, Darouiche RO. Characteristics of biofilm on tunneled cuffed hemodialysis catheters in the presence and absence of clinical infection. Am J Kidney Dis. 2012 Dec;60(6):976-82.

25. Nassar, G.M., Glickman, M.H., McLafferty, R.B., Croston, JK, Zarge J.I., Katzman H.E., Peden, E.K., Lawson, J.H. A Comparison between the HeRO Graft and Conventional Arteriovenous Grafts in Hemodialysis Patients. Seminars in Dialysis, 2014; 27(3):310-318.

26. Nassar, G.M., Suki, D., Rhee, E., Khan, A.J., Nguyen B., and Achkar K. AVG outcomes following simultaneous Thrombectomy and Stent Graft Placement Across the Venous Anastomosis.  Seminars in Dialysis; 27(6):639-44

27. Nassar, G. M., Rhee E., Khan A.J., Nguyen B., Achkar, K. and Beathard G. Percutaneous Thrombectomy of AVF: Immediate Success and Long-Term Patency Rates. Sem Dial. 2015; 28(2)E15-22.

28. Patel MS, Davies MG, Nassar GM, and Naoum JJ. Open repair and venous inflow plication of the arteriovenous fistula is effective in treating vascular steal syndrome. Ann Vasc. Surg. 2015, 29(5): 927-33.

29. Dukkipati R, Lee L, Atray N, Kajani R, Nassar G, Kalantar-Zadeh K. Outcomes of cephalic arch stenosis with and without stent placement after percutaneous balloon angioplasty in hemodialysis patients. Semin Dial. 2015;28(1):E7-E10.

30. Nassar GM, Beathard G., Rhee E., Khan A.J., Nguyen B. Management of transposed arteriovenous fistula (AVF) swing point stenosis at the basilic vein angle of transposition (BAT) by stent grafts. J. Vascular Access. 2017. DOI: 10.5301/jva.5000770 PMID:28708199

31. Nassar GM, Beathard G. Exploring correlations between anatomic characteristics of dialysis arteriovenous fistula stenosis and arterivenous fistula blood flow rate (Qa). J. Vascular Access 2019; PMID 31203718


Book Chapters and Reviews

1.  Lakkis, F.G., Nassar, G.M., and Badr, K. F.: Hormones and The Kidney, in Schrier, R.W. and Gottschalk, C.W. eds. Diseases of The Kidney. 6th edition. Little, Brown and Company, Boston, 1996.

2.  Nassar, G. M., and Badr, K. F.:  Endothelin in kidney disease. Current Opinion in Nephrology and Hypertension, 3:86-91, 1994.

3.  Nassar, G. M., and Badr, K. F.: Leukotrienes and lipooxygenases in glomerular injury. Mineral and Electrolyte Metabolism, 21:262-270, 1995.

4.  Nassar, G. M. and Badr, K. F.: Novel approaches to treatment of glomerulonephritis. Clinical nephrology, 11:177-182,1998.

5.  Jurado R.L., del Rio C., Nassar G. M., Navarette, J., Pimentel JL Jr.: Low anion gap. South Med J. 91(71): 624-629, 1998.

6.  Nassar, G. M., and Ayus J. C.: Choosing antimicrobial therapy for the febrile patient on hemodialysis. J. Crit. Illness 14:8-9, 1999.

7.  Nassar, G. M., and Ayus J. C.: Brown Tumor in End Stage Renal Failure. New. Engl. J. Med. 341:1652, 1999.

8.  Nassar, G. M. and Ayus, J. C.: Clotted AV grafts: A silent source of infection. Seminars in Dialysis, 13:1-3, 2000.

9.  Nassar, G. M. and Ayus, J.C.: Perspectives in Renal Medicine. Infectious complications of the hemodialysis access. Kidney Int. 60: 1-13, 2001.

10. Nassar, G.M. What should nephrologists do to maximize use of AV fistulas? Seminars in Dialysis 19 (3):207-209, 2006.

11. Nassar, G. M. Endovascular Management of Failing to Mature AV Fistula. Techniques in Vascular and Interventional Radiology, 11(3): 175-180, 2008.

12. Nassar GM, Preventing and treating inflammation: role of dialysis access management. Semin Dial. 26(1):28-30, 2013.

13. Nassar, G. M. Venous Angioplasty, in Chan, Yevzlin and Asif eds. Vascular Access for the General Nephrologist. Nova Science Publishers, New York, 1st edition, 2013.

14. Nassar, G. M. Endovascular Stents in Management of The Dialysis Vascular Access, in Chkhotua ed. Innovations in Dialysis Vascular Access Surgery. Nova Science Publishers, New York, 1st edition, 2017.