Vice Chairman, Clinical Affairs

Bertrand L. Jaber, MD, MS

• Vice Chairman of Medicine for Clinical Affairs, St. Elizabeth's Medical Center
• Associate Professor of Medicine, Tufts University School of Medicine

Contact Information

Telephone: 617-562-7832
Fax: 617-562-7797
E-mail: Bertrand.Jaber@steward.org

Administrative Assistant

Judy Rufo
Telephone: 617-562-7502
Fax: 617-562-7797
E-Mail: Judy.Rufo@steward.org

Biographical Sketch

Dr. Bertrand L. Jaber received his medical degree from St. Joseph’s University School of Medicine, Beirut, Lebanon, in 1991, and completed his Internal Medicine Internship and Residency at Carney Hospital, Boston, MA, in 1994. He subsequently completed his Nephrology clinical and research training at Tufts-New England Medical Center, and since 1998, has served on the faculty of its division of nephrology. During his tenure at Tufts-NEMC, Dr. Jaber was Director of the Nephrology Ambulatory Services from 1999-2003, and served as co-director of dialysis services from 2001-2004. He also developed and directed the Kidney Stone Clinic.

Dr. Jaber has been a devoted educator. Since 1995, he has served as instructor for the yearly Renal Pathophysiology Course of Tufts University School of Medicine, and since 1998, he has played a major role in supervising and mentoring medical residents, as well as clinical and research nephrology fellows enrolled in the training programs of Tufts-NEMC.

Clinical, Educational & Research Interests

Dr. Jaber's clinical interests include acute renal failure, kidney stones, chronic kidney disease of all causes, the long term management of kidney transplant recipients, and treatment of kidney failure by hemodialysis and peritoneal dialysis.

Dr. Jaber's research interests include the biologic effects of uremia and dialysis treatment, hemodialyzer performance, novel extracorporeal therapies, clinical and genetic factors influencing the outcome of acute renal failure, and water treatment for hemodialysis. He is a member of the Renal Disease and Detoxification Committee of the Association for the Advancement of Medical Instrumentation, the National Kidney Foundation Council on Renal Nutrition Grant Selection Committee, and the National Institutes of Diabetic and Digestive and Kidney Disease Small Business Innovation Research Grant Application Review Committee. Dr. Jaber serves on the Scientific Program Committee of the Annual Clinical Meetings of the National Kidney Foundation, and directs it annual Hemodialysis Course. He is the recipient of numerous research awards and has more than 50 publications in peer-reviewed scientific journals. Dr. Jaber is a Section Editor of the textbook Chronic Kidney Disease, Dialysis and Transplantation (edited by Pereira BJG, Sayegh M, Blake P: Elsevier Saunders, Philadelphia, PA), he has authored several textbook chapters, and he is a regular reviewer for several scientific journals.

Selected Publications

1. Cendoroglo M, Sundaram S, Groves C, Ucci AA, Jaber BL, Pereira BJG. Necrosis and apoptosis of polymorphonuclear cells exposed to peritoneal dialysis fluids in vitro: effects of osmolality, glucose concentration and heat sterilization Kidney Int 52:1626-1634, 1997.
2. Sundaram S, Cendoroglo M, Cooker LA, Jaber BL, Faict D, Holmes CJ, Pereira BJG.  Effect of two-chambered bicarbonate-lactate buffered peritoneal dialysis fluids on peripheral blood mononuclear cell and polymorphonuclear cell functions in vitro. Am J Kidney Dis 30:680-689, 1997.
3. Jaber BL, Barrett TW, Cendoroglo MN, Sundaram S, King AJ, Pereira BJG. Endotoxin removal by polymyxin-B immobilized polystyrene-derivative fibers during in vitro hemoperfusion of 10% human plasma. ASAIO Journal 44:54-61, 1998.
4. Cendoroglo MN, Sundaram S, Jaber BL, Pereira BJG.  Effect of glucose concentration, osmolality and sterilization process of peritoneal dialysis fluids on cytokine production by peripheral blood mononuclear cells and polymorphonuclear cell functions in vitro. Am J Kidney Dis 31:273-282, 1998.
5. Jaber BL, Barrett TW, Cendoroglo M, Sundaram S, King AJ, Pereira BJG. Removal of cytokine-inducing substances by polymyxin-B immobilized polystyrene-derivative fibers during in vitro hemoperfusion of 10% human plasma containing Staphylococcus aureus. ASAIO Journal 44:48-53, 1998.
6. Murthy BVR, Sundaram S, Jaber BL, Perrella C, Meyer KB, Pereira BJG. Effect of formaldehyde/bleach reprocessing on in vivo performances of high-efficiency cellulose and high-flux polysulfone dialyzers. J Am Soc Nephrol 9:464-472, 1998.
7. Jaber BL, Sundaram S, Cendoroglo MN, King AJ, Pereira BJG. Polymyxin-B stimulates tumor necrosis factor-alpha production by human peripheral blood mononuclear cells. Int J Artif Organs 21:269-273, 1998.
8. Jaber BL, Gonski JA, Cendoroglo M, Balakrishnan VS, Razeghi P, Dinarello CA, Pereira BJG. New polyethersulfone dialyzers attenuate passage of cytokine-inducing substances from Pseudomonas aeruginosa-contaminated dialysate. Blood Purif 16:210-219, 1998.
9. Balakrishnan VS, Jaber BL, Natov SN, Cendoroglo MN, King AJ, Schmid CH, Pereira BJG. Interleukin-1 receptor antagonist synthesis by peripheral blood mononuclear cells in hemodialysis patients. Kidney Int 54:2106-2112, 1998.
10. Jaber BL, Balakrishnan VS, Cendoroglo MN, Perianayagam MC, King AJ, Pereira BJG. Modulation of neutrophil apoptosis by uremic plasma during hemodialysis. Blood Purif 16:325-335, 1998.
11. Cendoroglo M, Jaber BL, Balakrishnan VS, Perianayagam MC, King AJ, Pereira BJG. Neutrophil apoptosis and dysfunction in uremia.J Am Soc Nephrol 10: 93-100, 1999.
12. Jaber BL, Cendoroglo M, Balakrishnan VS, Perianayagam MC, Karsou SA, Ruthazer R, King AJ, Pereira BJG.  Impact of dialyzer membrane selection on cellular responses in acute renal failure: a crossover study. Kidney Int 57:2107-2116, 2000.
13. Sarnak MJ, Jaber BL. Mortality caused by sepsis in patients with end-stage renal disease compared with the general population. Kidney Int 58:1758-1764, 2000.
14. Perianayagam MC, Murray SL, Balakrishnan VS, Guo D, King AJ, Pereira BJG, Jaber BL.  Serum soluble Fas (CD95) and Fas ligand profiles in chronic kidney failure. J Lab Clin Med 136:320-327, 2000.
15. Balakrishnan VS, Schmid CH, Jaber BL, Natov SN, King AJ, Pereira BJG. Interleukin-1 receptor antagonist synthesis by peripheral blood mononuclear cells: a novel predictor of morbidity among hemodialysis patients. J Am Soc Nephrol 11:2114-2121, 2000.
16. Jaber BL, Perianayagam MC, Balakrishnan VS, King AJ, Pereira BJG. Mechanisms of neutrophil apoptosis in uremia and relevance of the Fas (APO-1, CD95)/Fas ligand system. J Leukocyte Biol 69: 1006-1012, 2001.
17. Sarnak MJ, Jaber BL. Pulmonary infectious mortality among patients with end-stage renal disease. Chest 120:1883-1887, 2001.
18. Jaber BL, King AJ, Cendoroglo M, Cunniff-Jaber PJ, Balakrishnan VS, Ruthazer R, Pereira BJG. Correlates of urea kinetic modeling during hemodialysis in patients with acute renal failure. Blood Purif 20:154-160, 2002.
19. Perianayagam MC, Balakrishnan VS, King AJ, Pereira BJG, Jaber BL. C5a delays apoptosis of human neutrophils by a phosphatidyl inositol 3-kinase-signaling pathway. Kidney Int 61:456-463, 2002.
20. Jaber BL, Lau J, Schmid CH, Karsou SA, Levey AS, Pereira BJG. Effect of biocompatibility of hemodialysis membranes on mortality in acute renal failure: a meta-analysis. Clin Nephrol 57:274-282, 2002.
21. Guo D, Jaber BL, Lee S, Perianayagam MC, King AJ, Pereira BJG, Balakrishnan VS. Impact of iron dextran on polymorphonuclear cell function among hemodialysis patients. Clinical Nephrol 58:134-142, 2002.
22. Perianayagam MC, Jaber BL, Guo D, King AJ, Pereira BJG, Balakrishnan VS. Defective interleukin-10 synthesis by peripheral blood mononuclear cells among hemodialysis patients. Blood Purif 20:543-550, 2002.
23. Morena MD, Guo D, Balakrishnan VS, Brady JA, Winchester JF, Jaber BL. Effect of a novel adsorbent on cytokine responsiveness to uremic plasma. Kidney Int 63: 1150-1154, 2003.
24. Leypoldt JK, Jaber BL, Lysaght MJ, McCarthy J, Moran J. Kinetics and dosing predictions for daily hemofiltration. Nephrol Dialysis Transplant 18:769-776, 2003.
25. Unruh M, Hartunian MG, Chapman MM, Jaber BL. Sleep quality and clinical correlates in patients on maintenance dialysis. Clinical Nephrol 59:280-288, 2003.
26. Balakrishnan VS, Blumberg J, Pereira BJG, Jaber BL. Antioxidant and oxidative stress indices in dialysis-dependent acute renal failure. Blood Purif 21: 213-219, 2003.
27. Perianayagam MC, Balakrishnan VS, Guo D, Pereira BJG, Jaber BL. Quantification of Bax and Bcl-2 in polymorphonuclear leukocytes from hemodialysis patients: relation to hydrogen peroxide. Eur J Clin Invest 33:905-911, 2003
28. Perianayagam MC, Balakrishnan VS, Pereira BJG, Jaber BL. C5a delays apoptosis of human neutrophils via an extracellular signal-regulated kinase and Bad signaling pathway. Eur J Clin Invest 34:50-56, 2004
29. Alonso A, Lau J, Jaber BL, Weintraub A, Sarnak MJ. Prevention of radiocontrast nephropathy with N-acetylcysteine in patients with chronic kidney disease: A meta-analysis of randomized controlled trials. Am J Kidney Dis 43:1-9, 2004
30. Rao M, Guo D, Jaber BL, Sundaram S, Cendoroglo M, King AJ, Pereira BJG, Balakrishnan VS. Dialyzer membrane type and reuse practice influence polymorphonuclear leukocyte function in hemodialysis patients. Kidney Int 65:682-691, 2004
31. Jaber BL, Rao M, Guo D, Balakrishnan VS, Perianayagam MC, Freeman RB, Pereira BJG. Cytokine promoter gene polymorphisms and mortality in acute renal failure. Cytokine 25:212-219, 2004
32. Balakrishnan VS, Guo D, Rao M, Jaber BL, Tighiouart H, Freeman RL, Huang C, King AJ, Pereira BJG. Cytokine gene polymorphisms in hemodialysis patients: Association with comorbidity, functionality and serum albumin. Kidney Int 65: 1449-1460, 2004
33. Teehan GS, Bahdouch D, Ruthazer R, Balakrishnan VS, Snydman D, Jaber BL. Iron storage indices: novel predictors of bacteremia in hemodialysis patients initiating intravenous iron therapy. Clin Infect Dis 38:1090-4, 2004
34. Rao M, Guo D, Jaber BL, Tighiouart H, Pereira BJG, Balakrishnan VS.  Transforming growth factor beta-1 gene polymorphisms and prevalence of vascular disease in hemodialysis patients. Kidney Int 66:419-27, 2004
35. Teehan G, Guo D, Perianayagam MC, Balakrishnan VS, Periera BJ, Jaber BL. Reprocessed (high-flux) Polyflux dialyzers resist transmembrane endotoxin passage and attenuate inflammatory markers. Blood Purif 22:329-337, 2004
36. Teehan GS, Ruthazer R, Balakrishnan VS, Snydman D, Jaber BL. Iron storage indices and risk of bacterial infections in hemodialysis patients. Hemodialysis Int 8:226-232, 2004
37. Liangos O, Balakrishnan VS, Pereira BJ, Jaber BL. Cytokine single nucleotide polymorphism. Role in acute renal failure. Contrib Nephrol 144:63-75, 2004
38. Jaber BL, Zimmerman DL, Teehan GS, Swedko P, Burns K, Meyer KB, Leypoldt JK.  Daily hemofiltration for end-stage renal disease: a feasibility and efficacy trial. Blood Purif 22:481-489, 2004
39. Liangos O, Rao M, Balakrishnan VS, Pereira BJG, Jaber BL. Relationship of urine output to dialysis initiation and mortality in acute renal failure. Nephron Clin Pract 99:c56-c60, 2005
40. Perianayagam MC, Morena M, Jaber BL, Balakrishnan VS Antioxidants reverse uremia-induced downregulation of mitochondrial membrane potential and interleukin-10 production. Eur J Clin Invest 35:148-53, 2005
41. Hu S, Jaber BL. Ribavirin monotherapy for hepatitis C virus-associated membranous nephropathy. Clinical Nephrol  63:41-45, 2005
42. Balakrishnan VS, Jaber BL, for the DialGene Consortium. Genomic medicine, gene polymorphisms, and human biological diversity. Semin Dialysis 18:37-40, 2005
43. Liangos O, Balakrishnan VS, Jaber BL, for the DialGene Consortium. Model for gene-environment interaction: The case for dialysis. Semin Dialysis 18:41-46, 2005