Jean M. Francis, MD
Associate Professor
Boston University Chobanian & Avedisian School of Medicine
Medicine
Nephrology

MD, Lebanese University
BS, Lebanese University

Pronouns: he/him/his



Research Interests:

1- Thrombotic microangiopathy (TMA) is a rare but very serious condition. It is characterized by widespread microthrombi formation in multiple organs (in its severe and disseminated form) or localized microthrombi in the kidney (in its limited form). TMA is usually characterized by thrombocytopenia, microangiopathic hemolytic anemia (MAHA), and multiple organ injury and dysfunction.

Early detection and accurate diagnosis are essential to implement appropriate therapies, and improve patients’ prognosis and survival. Delay in diagnosis could result in late implementation of appropriate therapies, and this could result in permanent and irreversible organ damage. Left untreated TMA is associated with very high level of morbidity and mortality. TMA presentation could be highly variable making the diagnosis even more difficult. Once the diagnosis of TMA is established, defining the underlying cause is even more challenging due to frequent overlap between the common causes of TMA.

We have a unique multidisciplinary approach to the management of this very rare disease. A TMA team was established at Boston University Medical Center with the primary objective of improving patients care and outcome. Our Team works in close collaboration with the ARC on Thrombosis.

A primary goal of the team is to provide excellent patient care. The TMA team is multidisciplinary involving: nephrologists, hematologists, the director of apheresis, pediatric hematologist and pharmacist. They are always available to manage any patient with suspected TMA. Special protocols and algorithm have been created by the team to help guiding the provider in making an accurate diagnosis of any TMA case.

Another goal of the TMA team is educational. We are actively spreading awareness of this rare disease between our providers at BMC, and also regionally and nationally by organizing lectures and seminars as well as mini-symposia.

A third goal of the TMA team is to advance basic and clinical research related to TMA. We are active in clinical trials addressing the efficacy of newer agents for the treatment of complement mediated HUS a special form of TMA. Our scientists are also trying to understand some underlying pathological mechanisms that could be contributing to TMA.

2- As the Medical Director of the Kidney Transplant program at BUSM and BMC, I am involved in all aspect of care related to kidney transplantation. We evaluate kidney transplant recipients and donors, and manage all the care of post transplant patients. My interests include, BK virus infection, Antibody Mediated Rejection, recurrent GN after kidney transplantation, and metabolic disorders after kidney transplantation.

3- I am the Medical Director of the combined Pancreas Transplant Program between BUMC and BWH. This is a combined program between the two institutions that facilitate the cure of type 1 & 2 DM with pancreas transplantation in very selected patients.

Member
Boston University
Evans Center for Interdisciplinary Biomedical Research





CLNP023B12302: A multicenter, randomized, double-blind, parallel group, placebo-controlled study to evaluate the efficacy and safety of iptacopan (LNP023) in idiopathic immune complex mediated membranoproliferative glomerulonephritis (IC-MPGN)
06/13/2023 - 06/13/2027 (PI)
Novartis Pharma Corp

ALXN1210-TMA-315: A Phase 3, Randomized, Double-blind, Placebo-controlled, Multicenter Study to Evaluate the Efficacy and Safety of Ravulizumab in Adult Participants Who Have Thrombotic Microangiopathy Associated with a Trigger.
01/15/2022 - 01/14/2025 (PI)
Alexion Pharmaceuticals

Atypic Hemolytic Uremic Syndrome (aHUS)
03/17/2017 - 03/17/2019 (PI)
Alexion Pharmaceuticals


Title


Yr Title Project-Sub Proj Pubs

Publications listed below are automatically derived from MEDLINE/PubMed and other sources, which might result in incorrect or missing publications. Faculty can login to make corrections and additions.

iCite Analysis       Copy PMIDs To Clipboard

  1. Lotfollahzadeh S, Vazirani A, Sellinger IE, Clovie J, Hoekstra I, Patel A, Malloum AB, Yin W, Paul H, Yadati P, Siracus J, Malikova M, Pernar LI, Francis J, Stern L, Chitalia VC. Aryl Hydrocarbon Receptor Pathway Augments Peritoneal Fibrosis in a Murine CKD Model Exposed to Peritoneal Dialysate. Kidney360. 2024 Sep 01; 5(9):1238-1250.View Related Profiles. PMID: 39235862; PMCID: PMC11441816; DOI: 10.34067/KID.0000000000000516;
     
  2. Tonelli MM, Argaiz ER, Pare JR, Hooker E, Kurniawan H, Muruganandan KM, Francis JM, Jaberi A. Portal Vein Doppler Is a Sensitive Marker for Evaluating Venous Congestion in End-Stage Kidney Disease. Cardiorenal Med. 2024; 14(1):375-384.View Related Profiles. PMID: 38897186
     
  3. Sachedina D, Gibson F, Xia E, Walia A, Behara L, Fazelpour S, Mullins H, Francis J, Sahni D. Skin cancer in renal transplant recipients: outcomes from a safety net hospital in Boston. Int J Dermatol. 2024 Aug; 63(8):1048-1055.View Related Profiles. PMID: 38328999
     
  4. Trivin-Avillach C, Jaberi A, Henderson JM, Beck LH, Francis J. Eculizumab Use in Scleroderma Renal Crisis With Thrombotic Microangiopathy: A Case Report. Kidney Med. 2024 Jan; 6(1):100753.View Related Profiles. PMID: 38225975; PMCID: PMC10788495; DOI: 10.1016/j.xkme.2023.100753;
     
  5. Idrees N, Haroon S, Zhang Y, Mangio JC, Siracuse JJ, Francis JM, Ganguli S, Daly K, Diamond M, Vilvendhan R, Cabral H, Dember LM, Farber A, Kolachalama VB, Chitalia VC. Contrast Venography Versus Intravenous Ultrasound in Hemodialysis Arteriovenous Access Dysfunction. Kidney Int Rep. 2023 Sep; 8(9):1887-1891.View Related Profiles. PMID: 37705907; PMCID: PMC10496077; DOI: 10.1016/j.ekir.2023.06.013;
     
  6. Arinze N, Ravid JD, Yamkovoy K, Idrees N, Diamond M, Pillai R, Ryan T, Lotfollahzadeh S, Weinberg J, Fillmore NR, Farber A, Vilvendhan R, Francis J, Chitalia V. Prevalence of Central Venous Stenosis among Black and White ESKD Patients with Dysfunctional Dialysis Access. J Health Dispar Res Pract. 2023; 16(3):71-89.View Related Profiles. PMID: 38585426; PMCID: PMC10997377
     
  7. Lotfollahzadeh S, Zhang M, Napoleon MA, Yin W, Orrick J, Elzind N, Morrissey A, Sellinger IE, Stern LD, Belghasem M, Francis JM, Chitalia VC. A Retrograde Implantation Approach for Peritoneal Dialysis Catheter Placement in Mice. J Vis Exp. 2022 07 20; (185).View Related Profiles. PMID: 35938794; DOI: 10.3791/63689;
     
  8. Arinze NV, Yin W, Lotfollahzadeh S, Napoleon MA, Richards S, Walker JA, Belghasem M, Ravid JD, Hassan Kamel M, Whelan SA, Lee N, Siracuse JJ, Anderson S, Farber A, Sherr D, Francis J, Hamburg NM, Rahimi N, Chitalia VC. Tryptophan metabolites suppress the Wnt pathway and promote adverse limb events in chronic kidney disease. J Clin Invest. 2022 01 04; 132(1).View Related Profiles. PMID: 34752422; PMCID: PMC8718145; DOI: 10.1172/JCI142260;
     
  9. Kamel MH, Jaberi A, Gordon CE, Beck LH, Francis J. The Complement System in the Modern Era of Kidney Transplantation: Mechanisms of Injury and Targeted Therapies. Semin Nephrol. 2022 Jan; 42(1):14-28.View Related Profiles. PMID: 35618392
     
  10. Cohen-Bucay A, Francis JM, Gordon CE. Progress in hepatitis C virus management in chronic kidney disease. Curr Opin Nephrol Hypertens. 2021 09 01; 30(5):493-500. PMID: 34054074
     
Showing 10 of 65 results. Show More

This graph shows the total number of publications by year, by first, middle/unknown, or last author.

Bar chart showing 65 publications over 19 distinct years, with a maximum of 9 publications in 2019

YearPublications
20041
20072
20082
20091
20101
20112
20123
20131
20143
20154
20166
20174
20188
20199
20206
20213
20223
20233
20243


Can Animal Organ Transplants Save Thousands of Dying People?

BU Today 5/24/2024

Promotions to Associate Professor Go to 16 on Medical Campus

BU Today 7/6/2018

2023-2024 Boston Magazine: Nominated Top Boston Doctor
2022-2023 Boston Magazine: Nominated Top Boston Doctor
2021-2022 National Kidney Foundation: Excellence in Nephrology and Transplantation
2018-2019 Boston University School of Medicine: Faculty Induction into Alpha Omega Alpha Society
2018-2019 International Pediatric Nephrology Association (IPNA): Teaching Award
2016-2017 Boston University School of Medicine: Excellence In Teaching Award, Hospital Based Faculty
2016-2017 Boston University School of Medicine : Nominated for Clinical Innovation Award
2015-2016 Boston University School of Medicine: Excellence In Teaching Award, Hospital Based Faculty
2014-2015 Boston University School of Medicine: Excellence in Teaching Award, Subspeciality Faculty
In addition to these self-described keywords below, a list of MeSH based concepts is available here.

BK virus infection
Bone diseases after kidney transplant
Complement mediated kidney diseases
Glomerular diseases
Kidney diseases
Kidney transplantation
Organ transplants
Pancreas transplantation
Recurrent glomerular diseases after kidney transplant
Thrombotic microangiopathy

Available to Mentor as: (Review Mentor Role Definitions):
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  • Education Mentor
  • Research / Scholarly Mentor
Contact for Mentoring:

650 Albany St Evans Biomed Research Ctr
Boston MA 02118
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