Contact Information
Telephone: 617-636-0563
Fax: 617-636-8329
Email: rperrone@tuftsmedicalcenter.org
For information on the HALT-PKD clinical trial call 617-636-8783 and ask for Peachy or Julie.
For information on the Tempo clinical trial call 617-636-1573 and ask for Dr. Alam or call 617-636-7914 and ask for Divya Bhatt.
Titles
Tufts Medical Center
Associate Chief, William B. Schwartz Division of Nephrology
Medical Director, Kidney Transplantation
Tufts University School of Medicine
Professor of Medicine
Polycystic Kidney Disease Foundation
Chairman, Scientific Advisory Committee
Member, Board of Trustees
National Kidney Foundation of Massachusetts, Rhode Island, New Hampshire and Vermont
Member, Medical Advisory Board
Education
Undergraduate
B.S. with High Honors, Zoology 1971
Pennsylvania State University
University Park, PA
Medical School
Doctorate of Medicine 1975
Hahnemann Medical College (now Drexel University School of Medicine)
Philadelphia, PA
Training
Grady Memorial Hospital, Emory University, Atlanta GA
Medical Internship 1976
Medical Residency 1978
Boston University Medical Center, Boston, MA
Clinical Fellow in Nephrology 1980
Boston City Hospital, Boston University Medical Center, Boston, MA
Research Fellow in Nephrology 1982
Board Certification
ABIM, Board Certified in Nephrology 1982
Interests
Clinical
Dr. Perrone’s patient care interests are in polycystic kidney disease, general nephrology, acid-base disorders, hypertension, and kidney transplantation medicine. He is the Director of the Polycystic Kidney Disease Center.
Research
Dr. Perrone’s research interests are largely focused in the area of polycystic kidney disease, including slowing progression and determining the natural history of the extrarenal complications. In prior studies, he addressed the mortality of extrarenal complications of polycystic kidney disease after kidney failure treated by dialysis. He will continue this work in collaboration with Drs. Alan Collins and Blanche Chavers of the United States Renal Data System. Dr. Perrone also is the Principal Investigator of the Boston Patient Care Center of an NIH-funded multi-center clinical trial (HALT Progression in PKD, part of the Polycystic Kidney Disease Clinical Trials Network). This study uses angiotensin converting enzyme inhibitors in combination with angiotensin receptor blockers to slow the progression of polycystic kidney disease and utilizes the unique endpoint of kidney volume growth as assessed using magnetic resonance imaging. Tufts Medical Center is one of the four national HALT-PKD Study centers that will conduct this 6-year, $25 million study sponsored by the NIH. Drs. Perrone (the PI) and Miskulin direct the study that started in the winter of 2006.
Dr. Perrone is the Tufts Medical Center Principal Investigator of the TEMPO 3/4 study. TEMPO 3/4 is a global trial that is addressing the efficacy of the vasopressin-receptor antagonist tolvaptan to slow progression of polycystic kidney disease. The unique endpoint of kidney volume growth will be assessed using magnetic resonance imaging. Tufts Medical Center is one of 100 international TEMPO 3/4 Study centers.
Other Professional Activities
Professional Organizations
Polycystic Kidney Disease Foundation
Chairman, Scientific Advisory Committee
Member, Board of Trustees
National Kidney Foundation of Massachusetts, Rhode Island, New Hampshire and Vermont
Member, Medical Advisory Board
Organ Procurement and Transplantation Network/United Network for Organ Sharing (OPTN/UNOS)
Region 1 Representative - OPTN/UNOS Living Donor Committee
Editorial Appointments
Dr. Perrone serves on the Editorial Board of the Clinical Journal of the American Society of Nephrology and is cystic kidney disease editor for Up-to-Date.
Policy-related Activities
Dr. Perrone was appointed as Chairman of the Steering Committee for the Clinical Trial Endpoints and Therapies in Polycystic Kidney Disease workshop. The FDA and the PKD Foundation jointly sponsored this workshop. Click here for more information.
As an extension of the above-mentioned workshop, in March 2008 Dr. Perrone attended a Polycystic Kidney Disease Database Consortium meeting. The goal of the Consortium is to establish a polycystic kidney disease clinical database.
Selected publications
Vora, N, Perrone, R, Bianchi, DW. Reproductive issues for adults with Autosomal Dominant Polycystic Kidney Disease (ADPKD). Am J Kidney Dis 2008;51:307-18.
Recent Awards and Honors
2000-2001 Tufts University School of Medicine Excellence in Teaching Award from the Third Year Medical Students
Citation for Excellence in Teaching by the Class of 2002 Tufts University School of Medicine
2001-2002 Tufts University School of Medicine Excellence in Teaching Award from the Third Year Medical Students
2007 Gift of Life Award - Outstanding Physician in Nephrology, National Kidney Foundation of MA, RI, NH, and VT
2009 Distunguished Faculty Award from TUSM