Barbara Jean Gillespie

Rapid developments in glomerular disease in the past 5 years have warranted evolving approaches to clinical trial design, identifying new biomarkers, and redefining kidney care. This research is reshaping the understanding and treatment of APOL1-mediated kidney disease, membranous nephropathy, and IgA nephropathy, along with adding to global efforts to refine clinical trial endpoints and accelerate therapeutic development, underscoring key challenges and breakthroughs in the field.

The final episode looks ahead, weaving together summit planning, 2026 goals, cutting-edge therapies, and global equity. Gillespie previews the International Society of Glomerular Disease (ISGD)’s inaugural Clinical Trial Summit in Galveston, Texas, organized with the University of Texas Medical Branch and leaders like Jochen Reiser, Vinay Gupta, and Shikha Wadhwani.

In this episode, the conversation broadens to the PARASOL framework and the evolving science of endpoints and trial design across glomerular diseases. Gillespie briefly defines PARSOL, which is French for umbrella, as a unifying initiative conceived with leaders like Laurel Damashek to protect and guide the community toward better trial designs and therapeutic options across multiple diseases.