ANN ARBOR, MICHIGAN November 15, 2022 — Arbor Research Collaborative for Health (Arbor Research) announced today that Dr. Roberto Pecoits-Filho will take over as the scientific and clinical leader of their world-renowned Dialysis Outcomes and Practice Patterns Study (DOPPS). Tracking over 70,000 patients from over 20 countries since 1996, the DOPPS study has improved the patient experience of individuals with kidney disease by identifying links between international variations in clinical practices and outcomes and identifying best practices for treating patients. Dr. Pecoits-Filho has been integral to the DOPPS leadership team and served as Principal Investigator for one of three core DOPPS studies since joining Arbor Research four years ago. “It helps us to stand on the shoulders of giants like Fritz Port and Bruce Robinson, as well as Ron Pisoni who continues to be a leader and ambassador for DOPPS. I am thrilled to collaborate with our talented team of researchers, clinicians, data scientists and our project team to continue our 26-year legacy of developing innovative studies to improve the lives of patients with kidney disease,” says Dr. Pecoits-Filho.

As Dr. Bruce Robinson, the scientific and clinical leader of DOPPS for the past fifteen years, leaves Arbor Research to join the faculty at the University of Michigan, he states, “My work with DOPPS and Arbor Research will always be a highlight of my career. I can’t speak enough about the privilege it’s been to support improving care for patients through the DOPPS program. Roberto is immensely talented, innovative, and collaborative. I’m glad that DOPPS will be in Roberto’s outstanding hands.”

The DOPPS Study includes three large cohort studies with goal to identify optimal practices for patients with advanced chronic kidney disease or kidney failure. The study is active at over 750 clinical sites and has a wide network of scientific collaborators with more than 300 scientific publications.

“On behalf of the board, the staff, and the broader research community, I want to thank Bruce for his valuable contributions to Arbor Research and the DOPPS study,” says Dr. Christopher Spera, Arbor Research’s President and CEO. “He leaves a strong legacy of contributions to Arbor Research, to the wider field of nephrology, and most importantly, to patients around the world.”

Dr. Spera continued, “DOPPS will continue to evolve to meet the needs of researchers, organizations, and companies who want to better understand kidney disease. As we transition leaders, we are committed to identifying additional opportunities to drive better insights and improved outcomes for patients.”