THE CLINICAL TRIALS SUMMIT TEAM

Welcome to the ISGD Clinical Trials Summit!

On behalf of the University of Texas Medical Branch (UTMB), it is our great pleasure to welcome you to the first meeting of its kind, focused specifically on bringing together the people, science, ideas, and partnerships needed to transform how discoveries translate into meaningful new therapies for patients via clinical trials.

And there is perhaps no more fitting place to begin this conversation than UTMB.

UTMB has always been an institution willing to go first — to pioneer new approaches, bring disciplines together, and turn ideas into action. From its long history of innovation in medicine and research, to its commitment to improving the lives of patients, UTMB has embraced the tenet that progress often begins by asking different questions and creating a different model.

That is the spirit of this Summit. It brings together investigators, clinicians, patients, industry leaders, innovators, regulators, and other partners to tackle the challenges we face in clinical trials and work collectively to find innovative solutions. How can new technologies, including artificial intelligence, data science, biomarkers, and novel trial designs fundamentally change the way we conduct research? Most importantly, how can we move from conversation to collaboration and from collaboration to action? We hope this Summit becomes a catalyst for exactly that.

Being first is not about having all the answers. It is about having the courage to bring the right people together, to challenge established approaches, and to turn bold ideas into lasting impact. UTMB is proud to be part of that beginning.

Thank you for joining us, for bringing your expertise and your ideas, and for sharing our commitment to changing the future of kidney disease research.

Welcome to Galveston, Texas, and to the University of Texas Medical Branch. Welcome to the 2026 ISGD Clinical Trials Summit. And welcome to what we hope marks the start of something transformative.

Jochen Reiser MD, PhD
President
CEO, UTMB Health System

Shikha Wadhwani MD, MS, FASN
Associate Research Officer for Clinical Research
Director, Nephrology Clinical Trials

Vineet Gupta PhD
Vice President
Office of Innovation & Commercialization
Internal Medicine
CEO, Medical Branch Innovations, Inc.,
CEO, Intellicura AI, LLC

Brenna Knott MA
Program Manager
Internal Medicine