Mara A. McAdams DeMarco, PhD

My research focuses on the epidemiology of aging with a specific interest in patients with end-stage kidney disease (ESKD). I am the director of the Epidemiology of Aging Studies in ESKD (EASE) lab and also co-direct the Kidney Disease and Aging Research Collaborative. I seek to understand how novel metrics of aging, like frailty and cognitive function, can improve risk prediction in kidney transplant recipients and patients undergoing hemodialysis. I have recently completed a 2-by-2 factorial RCT to identify interventions to preserve cognitive function among patients initiating hemodialysis. I also study the impact of medications on age-related outcomes among patients with end-stage kidney disease using national registry data linked to Medicare claims. Finally, I have just launched a new cohort to quantify the impact of vision impairment on cognition in ESKD patients. This work combines my training in epidemiology methods and biostatistics with a passion for improving the lives of older patients with kidney disease.