Rushelle Byfield, MD, MSCE

I entered the field of pediatric nephrology with a passion for working with infants, children, and adolescents with kidney disease. I was drawn to this special population because I enjoy the ongoing relationships that I have with my patients. It is a privilege to help educate children, parents, and fellow pediatricians about the kidneys and their role in nutrition, growth, and development. I treat children of all ages, from infancy to young adulthood. My specific area of interest is disorders of the kidney filters—the glomeruli—which clean the blood by filtering out excess fluid and waste products. When these filters are injured, children can have blood or protein in their urine, a sign that the kidneys are not functioning properly. In addition to cleaning the blood, the kidneys help control growth, prevent anemia, and regulate blood pressure. I work closely with patients and parents to optimize nutrition, hydration, and medications to help the kidneys perform their very important roles! My research interests are also focused on diseases of the glomeruli, specifically on patients who have received kidney transplants, and I am looking at how to optimize their success and keep them as healthy as possible post-transplantation. I am also very involved in training and inspiring future pediatric nephrologists. I work closely with medical students and pediatricians-in-training to educate them on the management of patients with kidney disorders and how to safely treat and help them thrive.

Dr. Belinda Li is an Assistant Professor at Columbia University Medical Center in New York, NY. She is a fellowship-trained and board-certified Pediatric Urologist. She graduated with a dual Bachelor’s in Biology and Anthropology from Washington University in St. Louis. She completed her medical education at SUNY Downstate Medical Center in Brooklyn, NY and her residency at Loyola University Chicago. She then went on to her Fellowship training at Vanderbilt University Medical Center in Nashville, TN. She practices in all areas of Pediatric Urology ranging from minor to complex reconstruction including undescended testicles, hypospadias, hydronephrosis, and vesicoureteral reflux and has published numerous articles in these areas. She has special research interests in neurogenic bladder, urinary tract reconstruction, and social determinants of health and delivery and access to quality care.

Dr. Fangming Lin joined CUMC in June 2011 as the Division Director of Pediatric Nephrology after 10 years of serving University of Texas Southwestern Medical Center at Dallas. She received her MD degree from Fujian Medical University in China and her PhD degree in Pharmacology at New York Medical College. Dr. Lin underwent pediatric residency training at New York University Medical Center and pediatric nephrology fellowship training at Seattle Children’s Hospital of the University of Washington. As a physician scientist, Dr. Lin has a strong interest in both patient care and science and discovery. She is passionate and experienced in treating children with congenital kidney conditions as well as acquired kidney diseases. Her laboratory research focuses on the understanding and better treatment for acute and chronic kidney disease. She is the first recipient of the Norman Siegel Pediatric Research Grant Award jointly issued by the American Society of Nephrology (ASN) and the American Society of Pediatric Nephrology (ASPN) in 2006 - a humbling selection of which she is proud. Dr. Lin has also served on several committees at the national and international levels. Email: fl2300@cumc.columbia.edu