Vishal Patel, M.D. - Faculty Profile

Biography

Vishal Patel, MBBS, is a Professor in the Department of Internal Medicine at UT Southwestern Medical Center and a member of the Division of Nephrology.

Originally from India, Dr. Patel obtained his medical degree from P S Medical College in India and completed internal medicine residency training at Northwestern University in Chicago. He then completed advanced training through a clinical nephrology fellowship at UT Southwestern Medical Center. Following his clinical training, he studied kidney genetics and primary cilia biology as an NIH-funded Physician-Scientist trainee at UT Southwestern.

Certified by the American Board of Internal Medicine in nephrology, Dr. Patel joined the UT Southwestern faculty in 2008 as an Assistant Instructor. He was promoted to Assistant Professor in 2009 and then Assistant Professor tenure-accruing in 2010. He became an Associate Professor with Tenure in 2018 and to Professor with Tenure in 2023.

Dr. Patel's research focuses on understanding why polycystic kidney disease (PKD) develops and how it can be treated more effectively. His laboratory studies how RNA, the molecules that help control gene activity, regulates kidney development and disease. Over the past decade, his team has identified several RNA pathways that drive cyst growth in autosomal dominant polycystic kidney disease (ADPKD) and has developed new strategies to restore the activity of the PKD1 gene, one of the primary genes involved in the disorder. Supported by the National Institutes of Health and the Department of Defense, his research has led to important discoveries in microRNA biology, RNA therapeutics, and gene regulation, which have been published in leading scientific journals. Dr. Patel's work has also produced several patented technologies, including anti-miR-17 and PKD1-targeted therapies designed to slow or prevent kidney cyst growth. These discoveries formed the foundation for farabursen, an experimental RNA-based treatment now being evaluated in clinical trials. Through both his scientific research and technological innovations, Dr. Patel has helped advance the development of precision therapies for inherited kidney diseases.

Dr. Patel is a member of the American Society of Nephrology.

Education

Medical Education: Pramukhswami Medical School, India (2000)
Internship: Mount Sinai Hospital Medical Center (2002), Internal Medicine
Residency: McGaw Medical Center of Northwestern University (2004), Internal Medicine
Fellowship: UT Southwestern Medical Center (2006), Nephrology
Other: UT Southwestern Medical Center (2008), Research

Research Interest

Kidney Development and Homeostasis
microRNAs, ncRNAs
mRNA translation regulation
Polycystic Kidney Disease
RNA metabolism
RNA therapeutics

Publications

Featured Publications

PKD1 and PKD2 mRNA cis-inhibition drives polycystic kidney disease progression.: Lakhia R, Ramalingam H, Chang CM, Cobo-Stark P, Biggers L, Flaten A, Alvarez J, Valencia T, Wallace DP, Lee EC, Patel V, Nat Commun 2022 Aug 13 1 4765
A methionine-Mettl3-N⁶-methyladenosine axis promotes polycystic kidney disease.: Ramalingam H, Kashyap S, Cobo-Stark P, Flaten A, Chang CM, Hajarnis S, Hein KZ, Lika J, Warner GM, Espindola-Netto JM, Kumar A, Kanchwala M, Xing C, Chini EN, Patel V, Cell Metab 2021 Jun 33 6 1234-1247.e7
Interstitial microRNA miR-214 attenuates inflammation and polycystic kidney disease progression.: Lakhia R, Yheskel M, Flaten A, Ramalingam H, Aboudehen K, Ferrè S, Biggers L, Mishra A, Chaney C, Wallace DP, Carroll T, Igarashi P, Patel V, JCI Insight 2020 Apr 5 7
Discovery and preclinical evaluation of anti-miR-17 oligonucleotide RGLS4326 for the treatment of polycystic kidney disease.: Lee EC, Valencia T, Allerson C, Schairer A, Flaten A, Yheskel M, Kersjes K, Li J, Gatto S, Takhar M, Lockton S, Pavlicek A, Kim M, Chu T, Soriano R, Davis S, Androsavich JR, Sarwary S, Owen T, Kaplan J, Liu K, Jang G, Neben S, Bentley P, Wright T, Patel V, Nat Commun 2019 Sep 10 1 4148
microRNA-17 family promotes polycystic kidney disease progression through modulation of mitochondrial metabolism.: Hajarnis S, Lakhia R, Yheskel M, Williams D, Sorourian M, Liu X, Aboudehen K, Zhang S, Kersjes K, Galasso R, Li J, Kaimal V, Lockton S, Davis S, Flaten A, Johnson JA, Holland WL, Kusminski CM, Scherer PE, Harris PC, Trudel M, Wallace DP, Igarashi P, Lee EC, Androsavich JR, Patel V Nat Commun 2017 Feb 8 14395
MicroRNA-21 Aggravates Cyst Growth in a Model of Polycystic Kidney Disease.: Lakhia R, Hajarnis S, Williams D, Aboudehen K, Yheskel M, Xing C, Hatley ME, Torres VE, Wallace DP, Patel V J. Am. Soc. Nephrol. 2016 Aug 27 8 2319-30
miR-17~92 miRNA cluster promotes kidney cyst growth in polycystic kidney disease.: Patel V, Williams D, Hajarnis S, Hunter R, Pontoglio M, Somlo S, Igarashi P Proc. Natl. Acad. Sci. U.S.A. 2013 Jun
MicroRNAs and fibrosis.: Patel V, Noureddine L Curr. Opin. Nephrol. Hypertens. 2012 Jul 21 4 410-6
Anti-microRNA screen uncovers miR-17 family within miR-17~92 cluster as the primary driver of kidney cyst growth.: Yheskel M, Lakhia R, Cobo-Stark P, Flaten A, Patel V Sci Rep 2019 Feb 9 1 1920
Planar cell polarity genes Celsr1 and Vangl2 are necessary for kidney growth, differentiation, and rostrocaudal patterning.: Brzóska HL, d'Esposito AM, Kolatsi-Joannou M, Patel V, Igarashi P, Lei Y, Finnell RH, Lythgoe MF, Woolf AS, Papakrivopoulou E, Long DA Kidney Int. 2016 Dec 90 6 1274-1284

Honors & Awards

PKD Foundation Grant
PKD Foundation (2014)
Rising Star in Nephrology - State of Texas
Super Doctors (2012)
Career Development Award
National Institute of Diabetes and Digestive and Kidney Diseases (2009)
O'Brien Center Pilot and Feasibility Grant
UT Southwestern (2009)
Young Investigator Travel Award
Southern Society for Clinical Investigation (2007)
Chief Fellow, UT Southwestern Medical Center-Nephrology fellowship
(2006)
Chief Nephrology Fellow
UT Southwestern (2005-2008)

Professional Associations/Affiliations

American Society of Nephrology (2005)