Her research addresses outcome determinants and disease progression in advanced chronic kidney disease (CKD) through an integrated framework combining clinical physiology, metabolic risk, and molecular mechanisms. She established that outcomes in peritoneal dialysis (PD) are driven by functional–metabolic phenotypes, rather than transport kinetics alone, linking hyperinsulinemia, obesity, cardiovascular comorbidity, and inflammatory signalling to membrane remodeling, protein loss, and long-term prognosis. This platform evolved into the integration of peritoneal histomorphology and membrane biomarkers with advanced outcome modelling. Her current research investigates how bioenergetic dysfunction, metabolic stress signalling, and tubule–interstitial crosstalk determine renal vulnerability beyond glomerular filtration rate decline. By combining urinary proteomics and metabolomics with clinical phenotyping, she aims to establish mechanistic biomarkers of CKD progression and novel therapeutic targets.

Biosketch

Anabela Rodrigues, MD, PhD, is a Senior Consultant Nephrologist, Head of the Peritoneal Dialysis Unit at Hospital de Santo António (Porto), and Principal Investigator leading a translational research programme in Nephrology, Dialysis and Transplantation. She is an Invited Full Professor with Habilitation at ICBAS, University of Porto. Her work evolved from peritoneal dialysis physiology — defining functional and metabolic determinants of membrane performance and clinical outcomes — to structured translational research on peritoneal histomorphology, biomarkers, and protein loss. She subsequently expanded toward metabolic–mitochondrial mechanisms of kidney disease, supervising doctoral work on tubule–interstitial crosstalk in diabetes mellitus and obesity-related renal disease, establishing a coherent progression from clinical phenotyping to mechanistic nephrology. Her publication record (ORCID: 0000-0001-8818-2141; Scopus: 7202269896) spans proteomics, metabolomics, dialysis outcomes, and metabolic kidney disease. Her leadership spans international guideline development, scientific societies, and national policy in CKD and dialysis.

Top 5 Publications

• Cunha A, Braga BG, Sousa S, et al. Insights into Peritoneal Dialysis Outcomes: An Approach Using Competing Risks Analysis. Semin Dial. 2025;38(3):207–213. doi:10.1111/sdi.13255.
• Branco P, Martins AR, Calça R, et al. Alpha-klotho and peritoneal membrane status: A hypothesis generating study. Eur J Clin Invest. 2023;53(3):e13903. doi:10.1111/eci.13903.
• Malho Guedes A, Marques RC, Domingos AT, et al. Peritoneal Protein Loss With Time in Peritoneal Dialysis. Semin Dial. 2024;37(3):242–248. doi:10.1111/sdi.13194.
• Braga PC, Guerra-Carvalho B, Almeida M, et al. Metabolic profile of urine of albuminuric and non-albuminuric nephropathic diabetic patients suggests TCA-cycle related biomarkers. Diabetes Res Clin Pract. 2025;225:112215. doi:10.1016/j.diabres.2025.112215.
• Pereira PR, Carrageta DF, Guerra-Carvalho B, et al. Untargeted Urinary Proteomics Uncovers Nephroprotective and Systemic Adaptations after Obesity Surgery-Induced Weight Loss. J Proteome Res. 2026;25(1):119–130. doi:10.1021/acs.jproteome.5c00500.