Aerial photo of hundreds of PVHS students who gathered at the Sea King Park and formed a kidney shape on March 12 -the World Kidney Day – to raise awareness for kidney disease and the urgent need for therapies for the 850M people worldwide.One-in-seven Group photo of the 2026 USC-PVHS Public Health Internship class and Dr. Samir Parikh, the 2026 honoree of the Kenneth Kleinberg lectureship of the USC Kidney Research Center and the President of the American Society of Nephrology. Dr. Samir Parikh, President of the American Society of Nephrology and Ruth W. and Milton P. Levy, Sr. Chair in Molecular Nephrology at the University of Texas Southwestern Medical Center poses with the NextGen Nephrology Team (Gemma, Olivia, and Suri) to raise awareness to the important work of nephrologists and nephrology research.Lena, Senior, Palos Verdes High School, Incoming Freshman, University of Southern California – Pre-Med Track, and Public Health Internship Program, Class of 2026 showcases her art at the Art for a Cause exhibition. At the Palos Verdes Farmers Market: Trinity, Malia, Evalyn, Erin, Ahana are talking to members of the local community members how to protect your kidneys.
National Kidney Month in March and Donate Life Month in April are national and international observances that raise awareness of kidney disease and the critical need for organ and tissue donation. Kidney disease affects 1 in 7 adults, translating to about 36M patients in the US alone and 850M worldwide. Kidney disease is a progressive disease without a cure. The scary part is that 90% of the patients do not know about their condition.
This year, Palos Verdes High School and two professors, Drs. Janos Peti-Peterdi and Georgina Gyarmati from the Kidney Research Center at USC launched the One-in-Seven public health internship to raise awareness of kidney disease and to fund research at the center. Our 33 students learned about kidney health and disease from renowned KRC faculty, discussed the importance of scientific research and how discoveries are translated from bench to bedside with Nobel laureate Dr. Ardem Patapoutian and the president of the American Society of Nephrology, Dr. Samir Parikh. To share their knowledge about the importance of prevention and early detection in the local community, the students organized local events throughout March and April.
Learn more: one-in-seven.orgArt for a Cause – Kidney Health for All: Caring for People, Protecting the Planet – art exhibition and reception at the PV Library.Nobel laurate Dr. Ardem Patapoutian from the Scripps Research Institute joins the efforts of students (Irene, Shreeya, Amy, Aira) to raise awareness of kidney disease!One-in-seven students Olivia, Gemma, Lena and Lilly at the USC Dialysis Center.One-in-seven students had an informational booth at the PV Science and Engineering Fair. They conversed with their peers and families to share the importance of taking care of your kidneys.A group of one-in-seven students discussing recent discoveries with Dr. Sargis Sedrakyan, Assistant Professor and principal investigator at Children’s Hospital of Los Angeles about the role of vascular health in preventing kidney disease.Dr. Arshia Ghaffari, Clinical Associate Professor of Medicine, Director, USC+DaVita Dialysis Center, and Associate Chief, Clinical Affairs, Nephrology and Hypertension met the class at the USC Dialysis Center to share information on the burden of the lifesaving treatment (dialysis) on kidney disease patients, and to emphasize the importance of early detection of kidney disease.Dr. Laura Perin Gallandt, Associate Professor at Children’s Hospital of Los Angeles, USC and her husband Steve Gallandt with the PVHS-USC Internship 2026 Class. Dr. Perin Gallandt is not only a principal investigator at the USC Kidney Research Center, but also a living kidney donor. Steve Gallandt lives with Polycystic Kidney Disease and received a life-saving kidney transplant from his wife, Laura. Together, they shared their story about the human side of kidney disease and the everyday challenges they face after kidney transplantation.
