Franz Schaefer

Dr. Franz Schaefer is Professor of Pediatrics and Chief of the Pediatric Nephrology Division at Heidelberg University Hospital. He received his M.D. in 1986 at Würzburg University Medical School. He performed research scholarships at the Institute of Child Health, London, the University of Virginia and Stanford University.

His research interests include the genetic basis of hereditary kidney diseases, the physiopathology and prevention of kidney disease progression, the cardiovascular, metabolic and endocrine consequences of kidney disease in children, and the mangement of end-stage kidney disease by renal replacement therapy.

He has a unique track record in clinical and epidemiological research. He conducted numerous multicenter clinical trials and established several international research consortia including the European Study Consortium for Chronic Kidney Disease in Children (ESCAPE) and the International Pediatric Dialysis Network (IPDN). He has coordinated the European Registry for pediatric dialysis and transplantation for six years and is the current chair of the Global IPNA Registry for pediatric renal replacement therapy.
Moreover, Dr. Schaefer has a special interest in rare disease research. He established the PodoNet Project for Research in Steroid Resistant Nephrotic Syndrome, coordinated the EURenOmics Consortium for High-Throughput Research in Rare Kidney Diseases, and is a Scientific Advisory Board member of the Global aHUS Registry. Recently he founded the European Rare Kidney Disease Reference Network (ERKNet), a consortium of 40 European Reference Centers dedicated to improve the knowledge and clinical management of rare kidney disorders from diagnosis to innovative therapies.

Dr. Schaefer has served on multiple professional boards including the Councils of the International Pediatric Nephrology Association, the European Society for Pediatric Neohrology and the International Society for Peritoneal Dialysis. He won several national and international prizes and awards, including the Recklinghausen Award and the IBM Innovation Award.

Dr. Schaefer’s publication record encompasses 650 scientific articles and book chapters. With more than 25,000 citations to date, his current H-Index is 73. Dr. Schaefer also has edited several books, including the international standard textbooks ‘Pediatric Kidney Disease’ and ‘Pediatric Dialysis’.