ERKNet Clinical Exchange Programme
Call for clinical exchange fellows
We are delighted to announce the third application call for the ERKNet Clinical Exchange Programme which was launched in June 2024. This unique programme is intended to share knowledge and promote collaboration between young health care professionals within ERKNet. Competitive calls for applications will be launched every 6 months during the next three years.
Eligibility criteria:
- Clinicians and other allied health professionals (e.g. dieticians, specialist nurses and technicians)
- Candidates in early stages of their specialisation training will be preferred
- Both exchange fellows and hosts must be employees of ERKNet member or affiliated partner institutions
- No participation in a previous ERN exchange fellowship
- Only cross border exchanges will be accepted (Residence of fellow in a different country from the host centre)
Support:
- Travel cost for one return trip
- Accommodation (for weekdays)
- Subsistences (food and public transport, for weekdays)
Application deadline: The 3rd call for applications is now open! Next call will be open in Q1/2026.
Please apply until November 14, 2025 via this link: www.surveymonkey.com/r/87S5XGH
Scope: The exchange programme covers different areas of expertise and specialised methodologies, depending on the host centre.
Hosting sites: Successful applicants will carry out their exchange in one of the host centres listed below.
Timing: Visits within this call can be performed between December 2025 and April 2026. The starting date is flexible and the duration of the visit should be between one and three weeks.
ERKNet Host Centres
| Contact person | Areas of expertise | Specialised clinical techniques | Training opportunities | Available hosting time |
| Detlef Boeckenhauer | - All aspects of pediatric nephrology - Including transplantation, PKD and tubulopathies | - All forms of kidney replacement treatment - Assessment of tubular function | - Translational research | - Per individual discussion |
| Contact person | Areas of expertise | Specialised clinical techniques | Training opportunities | Available hosting time |
| Ann Raes | - Renal replacement therapies (including hemodialysis, peritoneal dialysis, transplantation) - CAKUT - Vasculitis | - Acute and chronic hemodialysis in small children | - Prenatal counselling CAKUT - Ultrasound - Multidisciplinary approach CKD | - April 2025 |
| Contact Person | Area(s) of expertise | Specialised clinical technique(s) | Training opportunities | Available hosting time in 2025 |
| Doc. MUDr. Alena Paříková, Ph.D. |
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| May, June and September 2025 |
| Contact person | Areas of expertise | Specialised clinical techniques | Training opportunities | Available hosting time |
Adult nephrology: Jan Halbritter, Kai Uwe Eckardt
Pediatric nephrology: Julia Thumfart | - Expertise outpatients clinics in all areas of rare kidney disease - Adult nephrology | (not specified) | (not specified) | October/November 2024
From May 1st to September 30th 2025 |
| Contact Person | Area of expertise | Specialised clinical techniques | Training opportunities | Available hosting time |
PD Dr. Stefan Kohl; Prof. Dr. Max C. Liebau; Prof. Dr. Lutz T. Weber |
| For the entire center:
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flexible |
| Contact person | Areas of expertise | Specialised clinical techniques | Training opportunities | Available hosting time |
| Franz Schaefer, Claus Peter Schmitt | - All hereditary kidney diseases of children - Pediatric kidney replacement therapy | - All acute and chronic blood purification techniques in children of any age | - Rare kidney disease clinics - Ambulatory dialysis | - Throughout the entire period |
| Contact Person | Area of expertise | Specialised clinical techniques | Training opportuinities | Available hosting time |
Prof. Jerome Harambat; Mrs. Florence Lucats |
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| April/May 2025 until August/September → except from 15 July until 15 August 2025 |
| Contact person | Areas of expertise | Specialised clinical techniques | Training opportunities | Available hosting time |
Aude Servais (Adult Department) | - Inherited kidney diseases (adults) - Alport syndrome - Polycystic kidney disease - Metabolic diseases - Cystinosis - Tuberous sclerosis - Lithiasis | - Kidney biopsies - Genetics | - Nephrogenetic multidisciplinary follow up - Outpatients clinic - Hospitalisation | - Yes (not further defined) |
Laurence Heidet (Pediatric Department) | - Hereditary glomerulopathies - Immune glomerulopathies - Metabolic and stone disorders - Thrombotic microangiopathies - AD strutural kidney disorders - Congenital malformations and ciliopathies - Pediatric CKD and dialysis - Pediatric kidney transplantation | - Peritoneal dialysis - Hemodialysis - Immunoadsorption | (not defined) | - Anytime |
| Contact person | Areas of expertise | Specialised clinical techniques | Training opportunities | Available hosting time |
| Sacha Flammier | - PD - HD - Tx - EP - IA - Phosphocalcic metabolism - Tubulopathies | (Not specified) | (Not specified) | - 1 April until 18 April 2025 - 5 June until 4 July 2025
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| Contact person | Areas of expertise | Specialised clinical techniques | Training opportunities | Available hosting time |
| Stéphane Decramer | - All of pediatric nephrology parts | - Antenatal care and support - Genetic disorders (HNF1B, AR/ADPKD, tubulopathies, Lowe, etc.) - Erytha/Cytha pheresis | - All dialysis and apheresis techniques - Prenatal counselling - Rare genetic disease consultations | - All times |
| Contact person | Areas of expertise | Specialised clinical techniques | Training opportunities | Available hosting time |
| Olivier Niel | - Health care for children between 0 and 18 years - All major renal diseases, including: → Congenital anomalies of the kidney and urinary tract (CAKUT) → Nephrotic syndrome and glomerular diseases → Hypertension, nephrolithiasis and metabolic diseases → Tubulopathies → Genetic diseases (polycystic kidney diseases and ciliopathies → Bartter and Gitelman syndromes) → Hemolytic and uremic syndrome → Systemic diseases such as lupus - Special interest in genetic renal diseases → Including ADPKD, HNF1B, Alport and other rare syndromes (such as Coffin-Siris, Williams-Beuren, Wolf-Hirschhorn or Barakat) - Clinical research in rare diseases affecting the kidneys, to optimize the yield of genetic testing (https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/38316682/), or maximize renal protection (https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/38735286/). - For more information see: https://www.chl.lu/fr/service/nephrologie-pediatrique#neutral1 | - Renal replacement therapy (peritoneal dialysis, hemofiltration in PICU) and kidney transplantation preparation and follow-up to the pediatric patients in Luxembourg
- Renal biopsies performed on site | - Participation in outpatient consults, inpatient management, multidisciplinary meetings and Journal clubs
- Simulation-based training is progressively developed by the Unit (accessible in the coming months) | - Starting in October 2024 |
| Contact Person | Area of expertise | Specialised clinical techniques | Training opportunities | Available hosting time |
Pediatric nephrology: Antonia Bouts; Adult nephrology: Roos Marsman/ Liffert Vogt |
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| Contact person | Areas of expertise | Specialised clinical techniques | Training opportunities | Available hosting time |
| Marlies Cornelissen | - Full cover of ped nephrology with hemo-/peritoneal dialysis - Transplantation and special outpatient clinics for CKD4 - Transplantation - Genetic kidney diseases - Cystinosis - Ciliopathy - Kidney stones - CAKUT | - Pediatric hemo- and peritoneal dialysis (Baxter system, burette system) - Transplantation - Kidney biopsy, etc. | - Certified for training of pediatricians and for ped nephrologists - Learning on the job - Two specialised nurses to learn from | - Not in holiday seasons, otherwise fine |
Contact person | Areas of expertise | Specialised clinical techniques | Training opportunities | Available hosting time |
Albertien M. van Eerde | Multidisciplinary nephrogenetic care | - Nephrogenetic counselling - Reading genetic test results - Multidisciplinary clinics | - Cases can be discussed in English - But consultations will rarely be in English | - 6 January until 2 February 2025 - Not during ERA/ ERKNet/ ESHG
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| Contact person | Areas of expertise | Specialised clinical techniques | Training opportunities | Available hosting time |
| Ann Christin Gjerstad | - Glomerulonephritis - Transplantation - Kidney stones/Nephrocalcinosis | - No kidney biopsies (done by the radiologist) | (not specified) | - September 2024 until April 2025 |
Contact Person | Area of expertise | Specialised clinical techniques | Trainig opportunities | Available hosting time |
| Prof. Aivars Petersons |
| Kidney US | Inpatient setting | April to May 2025 |
| Contact person | Area of expertise | Specialised clinical techniques | Training opportunities | Available hosting time |
| Roser Torra | - Genetic kidney diseases - Glomerular kidney diseases --> Including onconephrology | - Genetic testing - Day hospital for immune-suppressive treatments - Kidney biopsies, etc. | - Genetic testing - Day hospital for immune-suppressive treatments - Kidney biopsies, etc. | - Can be adapted to fellows agendas |
| Contact person | Area of expertise | Specialised clinical techniques | Training opportunities | Available hosting time |
| Luis Quintana | - Primary glomerular diseases - Lupus Nephritis and ANCA associated GN - Renal complications associated with Cancer immunotherapy | - Kideny biopsy - Molecular Assessment in Kidney Complementopathies | (not specified) | - February until May 2025 - September until December 2025 |
| Contact person | Area of expertise | Specialised clinical techniques | Training opportunities | Available hosting time |
| Gema Ariceta | - in almost all the pediatric diseases categories at ERKNet | - transplantation - apheresis - aHUS - transition with nurses - general kidney genetic diseases | (not specified) | From May 1st to September 30th 2025 |
| Contact person | Area of expertise | Specialised clinical techniques | Training opportunities | Available time frame |
| Pedro Arango Sancho | - Tubulopathies, metabolic and minority diseases (XLH, aHUS, Cystinosis...) - Primary glomerular diseases - Onco-nephrology - Renal transplantation - Renal lithiasis | - Therapeutic apheresis, peritoneal dialysis - Hemodialysis, catheter placement - Renal biopsy | - Master of Pediatric Nephrology - IPNA Fellowship program | - From November 2024 to January 2025 - From June 2025 onwards |
| Contact Person | Area of expertise | Sepcialised clinical techniques | Training opportunities | Available hosting time |
| Prof. Loreto Gesualdo |
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| May 2025 until September 2025 |
| Contact person | Area of expertise | Specialised clinical techniques | Training opportunities | Available hosting time |
| Francesca Becherucci | - Pediatric nephrology - Glomerular diseases - Tubulopathies - Nephrogenetics | - Kidney biopsy - Genetic testing | - Involvement in clinical activities and clinical case discussion | - All the period |
Contact Person | Area of expertise | Specialised clinical techniques | Training opportunities | Available hosting time |
Prof. Giovanni Montini; MD. Maria Cristina Mancuso |
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| It provides full medical, nutritional and psychosocial assistance to nephropatic patients thanks to a well specialized multidisciplinary team. The clinical service is also complemented by research activities, genetic and experimental research | From July 2025 to December 2025 |
| Contact person | Areas of expertise | Specialised clinical techniques | Training opportunities | Available hosting time |
Francesco Trepiccione | - Experience in clinical and experimental model of rare kidney disease - Mainly focusing on tubulopaties, ciliopathies, ADPKD and genetic cause of kidney stone disease | - Possibility to perform in house clinical physiology test to perform a detailed phenotyping of the kidney disease --> Including measurement of renal clearance and functional exploration of single tubular segment transport | - Clinical experience - Physiology and molecular biology --> due to tight partnership with the laboratory of transaltional nephrology at the Biogem Research Institute | - November 2024 until July 2025 |
| Contact person | Area of expertise | Specialised clinical techniques | Training opportunities | Available hosting time |
| Marina Vivarelli | - Pediatric Nephrology - Kidney transplant - Dialysis | Major experience in all aspects of pediatric nephrology | Clinical trial Center dedicated to pediatric clinical trials | Indifferent |
| Contact person | Area of expertise | Specialised clinical techniques | Training opportunities | Available hosting time |
| Enrico Vidal | - Pediatric dialysis - Transplantation | - Dialysis (PD and HD) in neonates and small infants - Kidney transplantation in infants and children with CAKUT | - Observership | - February 2025 until July 2025 |
| Contact person | Area of expertise | Specialised clinical techniques | Training opportunities | Available hosting time |
| Giuseppe Grandaliano | Glomerular diseases | (not specified) | (not specified) | - Between April and July 2025 - September 2025 |
| Contact person | Areas of expertise | Specialised clinical techniques | Training opportunities | Available hosting time |
| Savino Sciascia | - Glomerulopathies/GN | - Biological treatment | - Kidney biopsy - Vascular access - Multidisciplinary clinics | - Anytime |
| Contact person | Area of expertise | Specialised clinical techniques | Training opportunities | Available hosting time |
| Licia Peruzzi | - All aspects of pediatric nephrology from prenatal diagnosis to transition to adulthood - Glomerulonephritis (in particular IgAN/IgAVN) - Dialysis (AKI and CKD) for all ages from newborn - Kidney and liver transplantation - Onconephrology - CRRT, ECMO in all ages in intensive care units including cardiac surgery, heart transplant | - Kidney ultrasound - Renal biopsy - CRRT | - Prenatal diagnostic in kidney diseases - NGS diagnostic - Renal biopsy in children - Onconephrology in children - Pediatric transplantation - ERKReg IgAN/IgAV subregistry | Between April and September 2025 |
| Contact person | Area of expertise | Specialised clinical techniques | Training opportunities | Available hosting time |
| Peter Barany | - Hereditary glomerulopathies - Immune glomerulopathies - AD s tructural kidney disorders - Congenital malformations & ciliopathies - Pediatric CKD & dialysis - Pediatric kidney transplantation | (not specified) | - Not realistic due to the short visit time | - September 2025 |
| Contact person | Area of expertise | Specialised clinical techniques | Training opportunities | Available hosting time |
Tanja Kersnik Levart | - CAKUT with every diagnostic espect: --> US, VUS, nuclear medicine examinations, MRU, fMRU, RA, urodinamics, diagnostic algorithm, conservative treatment - Dyalisis: --> hemodyalisis, peritoneal dyalisis, vascular access clinic (upon request) - TMA - Kidney stones and nephrocalcinosis - Hypertension | - US - VUS - Nuclear medicine examinations - MRU - fMRU - MRA - Vascular access clinic (upon request) | - Urinary tract US - Dyalisis - 24h ABPM - Urodinamics - Biofeedback | - October 24 until June 2025 |
| Contact person | Area of expertise | Specialised clinical techniques | Training opportunities | Available hosting time |
| Adrian Lungu | - Pediatric Nephrology - Adult Nephrology | - Kidney Biopsy - Hemodialysis | - aHUS - Genetics | - November 2024 until May 2025 |
| Contact Person | Area of expertise | Specialised clinical techniques | Training opportunities | Available hosting time |
Pediatric Nephrology Professor Alberto Caldas Afonso, MD, PhD |
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| From April to September 2025 (as required) |