About ERKNet

Hello, my name is Franz Schaefer and I'm a pediatric nephrologist at Heidelberg University. I have a longstanding interest in rare kidney diseases, particularly those congenital and hereditary disorders that manifest already in childhood. I have had the chance to create several European research consortia, such as the PodoNet project for podocyte disorders, the EURenOmics consortium for high-throughput research in rare kidney diseases, and the ESCAPE Clinical Research Network that runs registries, observational studies and clinical trials in children with kidney disease. In 2017, I was asked to build up a European Reference Network for Rare Kidney DIseases, which I named ERKNet. For me, it is a pleasure and truly inspiring to see the coordination team and network members throughout Europe collaborating with contagious enthusiasm to take the care of rare kidney disease patients to a new level. 

Hello, I have joined the ERKNet team in 2024 as patient engagement manager, liaising the ERKNet experts with our Patient Advocacy Groups (ePAGs). Moreover, I am the project manager for the Joint Action on Integration of ERNs into National Healthcare Systems (‘JARDIN’).