Donald Molony, MD
Professor, Renal Diseases and Hypertension
Department of Internal Medicine
McGovern Medical School
UTHealth Houston
Email: Donald.A.Molony@uth.tmc.edu
Phone: 713-500-6868
Areas of Interest
Clinical Interests
CKD, Glomerulonephritis, ESRD, Metabolic Bone Disease, Anemia, Toxic Renal Injury
Research Interests
Dr. Molony’s research interests include an investigation of the cellular and molecular mechanisms of distal nephron injury and repair, including renal tubular cell apoptosis. These investigations are conducted in parallel with an examination of the clinical syndromes of toxicant-related acute and chronic renal failure. He has previously found that chlorinated hydrocarbons and other environmental toxicants injure MTAL cells via their interaction with GABA-like Cl- channels in the basolateral membrane resulting in apoptosis. Electrophysiology, biochemical, and molecular biological approaches are used to address these basic research questions as well as in the development of biomarkers for the epidemiological studies. His laboratory has developed biomarkers panels that have allowed for the recognition of specific distal nephron injury from site-selective nephrotoxicants. Dr. Molony, in collaboration with researchers at the UT-School of Public Health and at the University of New Mexico, is conducting case-control and cohort studies in human populations exposed to potential distal-nephron nephrotoxicants to determine the burden of the environmental toxicant or drug induced renal injury and its clinical manifestations. Most recently, in collaboration with UNM and the Navajo Health Board, he has been conducting epidemiologic and biomarker studies to determine the relationship between uranium and other metal exposures and CKD in this population.
Education
- Medical Degree
University of California, San Diego, Medical School, La Jolla, CA - Residency
Parkland Memorial Hospital-Southwestern Medical School—Internal Medicine, Dallas, Texas - Fellowship
Southwestern Medical School—Nephrology, Dallas, Texas
Board Certifications
American Board of Internal Medicine
American Board of Internal Medicine – Nephrology
Publications