IARS 2023 Mentored Research Award Recipient Interview: Natalie Silverton, MD, FRCPC

Noninvasive Surrogates of Kidney Hypoxia in a Porcine Model of Hemorrhage and Resuscitation

Natalie Silverton, MD, FRCPC, was drawn to uncovering interventions that might prevent kidney hypoxia and acute kidney injury after major surgery. This motivated her to develop an investigation to develop noninvasive monitors of kidney hypoxia so that interventions can be implemented to prevent acute kidney injury. As an associate professor in the Department of Anesthesiology at University of Utah, Dr. Silverton’s research was recognized in 2023 with an IARS Mentored Research Award (IMRA) for her study on Urine Oxygen: A Diagnostic and Therapeutic Tool for Hemorrhagic Shock. With the IMRA, she was able to find the time and financial support to expand on this preliminary investigation. During the 2025 Annual Meeting, presented by IARS and SOCCA, on Friday, March 21, she will share her progress with an abstract focused on Noninvasive Surrogates of Kidney Hypoxia in a Porcine Model of Hemorrhage and Resuscitation. Below, she shares her initial investigation outcomes and how the award has benefitted her career and research.

Poster Session:

Poster Session B, Friday, March 21, 2025, 1:15 pm – 2:15 pm HST, Coral 3, Hilton Hawaiian Village® Waikiki Beach Resort

1. For this research, I am…

Principal Investigator

2. What drew you to this area of research? Has it evolved since your initial research project?

Kidney hypoxia is a significant cause of acute kidney injury after major surgery.

3. What are the goals you most want to accomplish in your work with this research project?

Our goal is to develop noninvasive monitors of kidney hypoxia so that interventions can be implemented to prevent acute kidney injury.

4. What is the potential impact of your research on the field of anesthesia and patient care?

Monitoring kidney oxygenation will not only help us to prevent kidney injury but may also help us improve end-organ perfusion during major surgery. This will also allow for individualized care in the operating room.

5. What are the benefits of presenting your research at the IARS Annual Meeting?

This is preliminary work and it will be helpful to get feedback at the meeting.

6. How has being an 2023 IARS Mentored Research Award Recipient affected your research and professional trajectory so far?

The IARS Mentored Research Award has allowed me the time and financial support to carry out this project.

7. How is your current research project influenced by your initial IMRA research project?

Using the preliminary data from this IARS award, I have recently submitted an R01 grant application to the NIH to apply this same model to cardiac surgery and cardiopulmonary bypass.

8. Is there anyone else you wish to acknowledge as part of this research team?

My colleagues, Kai Kuck, PhD, who is the Director of Bioengineering in our Department of Anesthesiology and Guillaume Hoareau, PhD, DVM, the veterinary surgeon who has been an integral part of the work I am presenting.

9. Outside of your research, what might someone be surprised to learn about you?

I live in Park City, Utah with my husband, Calvin and two teenage sons, Harries and Gabe. Calvin and Gabe are coming with me to Hawaii, but Harries decided to stay home so he does not miss his high school hockey practice. He is a senior and his team just won the state championship for Utah. They are heading to Nationals in Irvine California the week after the IARS meeting. Harries said, “I can go to Hawaii anytime, but I will never again be a senior in high school playing on this team, and getting ready to compete at the High School Hockey Nationals.”