The Department of Nephrology of Zhongshan Hospital, Fudan University, is a national key discipline of the Ministry of Education and 211, "double first-class" key construction disciplines, Shanghai key clinical specialties, the Ministry of Health Clinical Trial Organization of New Drugs for Renal Diseases (the first batch in China). There are National Clinical Research Center of Geriatrics (Nephrology) and Evaluation Platform of Major New Drugs for Renal Diseases under the Ministry of Science and Technology, Shanghai Institute of Nephrology and Dialysis, Shanghai Key Laboratory of Kidney and Blood Purification, Shanghai Clinical Medical Center of Kidney, Shanghai Quality Control Center of Hemodialysis, and Shanghai Clinical Research Center for Kidney Diseases.

The Department of Nephrology was formerly known as the Nephrology Group, established in 1973 by Zhongshan Hospital within the Internal Medicine Teaching and Research Group, with five physicians. At the beginning of the establishment of the department, doctors of the Nephrology Unit were involved in developing the first standard plate-type hemodialysis machine in China. They successfully carried out the first case of hemodialysis treatment in China, followed by establishing the Hemodialysis Unit. After that, they were the first or the earliest to complete a series of innovative clinical practices in China, especially applying advanced blood purification techniques. In 1975, they cooperated with the Department of Urology to carry out renal transplantation and completed the first cadaveric renal transplantation in China with long-term survival. In 1978, they performed simple ultrafiltration and sequential dialysis and achieved the reuse of a hollow fiber dialyzer; in 1979, they carried out renal puncture biopsy; in 1979, they applied hemoperfusion technology to rescue intoxicated patients; and carried out continuous ambulatory peritoneal dialysis as well.

In 1982, the Department of Nephrology was formally established. Since then, it has been devoting into the treatment of various glomerular diseases, tubular diseases, acute and chronic renal failure, etc. Particularly, the department has accumulated plenty clinical experience in the diagnosis and treatment of refractory nephrotic syndrome, critical lupus nephritis, acute renal failure caused by glomerular diseases, acute drug intoxication, and interstitial nephritis. Hemodialysis and hemofiltration dialysis were performed since 1982, and continuous arteriovenous hemofiltration was performed since 1985. Continuous arteriovenous hemofiltration dialysis has been widely applied in the treatment of critical renal insufficiency, ARDS, severe pancreatitis, infectious shock, DIC, and multiple organ failure since 1986. In 1987, they achieved bedside dialysis without a dialysis machine and carried out simple hemodialysis filtration in 1991. In 1995, our nephrologists were the first in China that applied local citrate anticoagulation to hemodialysis for patients with high-risk of bleeding tendencies. In 2002, the department of nephrology used dual plasma filtration technology to treat intractable hyperlipidemia, myasthenia gravis, and Guillain-Barre syndrome. In 2003, they carried out molecular adsorption and recirculation of artificial liver for the treatments of severe hepatitis, decompensate cirrhosis, as well as the preparation for liver transplantation. In 2004, they accomplished protein A-immunoadsorption for the treatment of critically ill lupus nephritis and crescentic nephritis. In 2008, they combined blood purification therapy with ECMO and CRRT, then followed with the achievement of goal-directed renal replacement therapy (GDRRT) in 2013. The above technologies have enabled the Department of Nephrology of Zhongshan Hospital to develop its specialties in blood purification treatment further, and it has always been in the leading position in domestic and overseas.

Prof. Xiaoqiang Ding is the director of department of nephrology. Prof. Ding is also the director of Shanghai Medical Center of Kidney, Director of Shanghai Hemodialysis Quality Control Center, Director of Shanghai Clinical Research Center for Kidney Diseases, Shanghai Leading Talent, Shanghai Outstanding Discipline Leader, Shanghai Rising Star of the Medical Academy, Shanghai Science and Technology Elite Nominee, Grantee of Shanghai Qi Xing Plan, Grantee of Henry Fok Foundation, Grantee of Shanghai Municipal Bureau of Health's New Hundred Plan, Chinese Journal of Dialysis and Chinese Journal of Nephrology. Prof. Ding is a member of the editorial board of the Chinese Journal of Nephrology, Dialysis Transplantation Journal of Nephrology, Chinese Journal of Blood Purification, Clinical Nephrology Journal, and Chinese Journal of Clinical Medicine, and a reviewer of Kidney International and Hemodialysis International.

The Department of Nephrology consists of Nephrology Specialized Ward,  Blood Purification Center, Nephrology Specialized Outpatient Clinic and Nephrology Laboratory. The division has accumulated a wealth of clinical experience, especially in the treatment of intractable and critical diseases, maintenance hemodialysis, blood purification therapy for the treatment of non-kidney diseases, etc.  Its comprehensive diagnosis and treatment level is in the leading position in China. Their diagnostic and  therapeutic specialties include: ① acute kidney injury, especially the treatment of critically ill patients; ② chronic renal failure and uremia treatment, including cardiovascular complications, anemia, hyperparathyroidism and other complications; ③ blood purification techniques for the treatment of various intractable and critical diseases, such as plasma exchange, dual plasma filtration, immunosorption and so on; ④ treatment for glomerular diseases, such as IgA nephropathy, refractory nephrotic syndrome, diabetic nephropathy, hypertensive nephropathy, hyperuricemia and uric acid nephropathy; ⑤ Severe systemic lupus erythematosus and lupus nephritis; ⑥ Refractory urinary tract infections; ⑦ Renal hypertension including renal vascular hypertension; ⑧ Prevention and treatment of tumor related kidney diseases; ⑨ Other refractory kidney diseases. The department also undertakes many in-hospital and out-of-hospital medical consultations, including crucial medical rescue work.

While accomplishing heavy clinical tasks and scientific research, the Department of Nephrology also undertakes many teaching tasks. It started to train master's students in 1982, and became one of the first approved clinical doctoral degree-granting sites in 1990, then was approved as a postdoctoral training station in 2002. So far, it has trained more than 150 master's degree students, 80 doctoral degree students, and five postdoctoral fellows and is responsible for the cultivation and training of eight-year medical students of Shanghai Medical College of Fudan University, international students, general practitioners in Shanghai, and advanced trainees from all over the country. Division members have edited or vice-edited 11 books, including “Clinical Specification of Continuous Renal Replacement Therapy”, “Acute Kidney Injury - From Diagnosis to Care”, “Acute Kidney Injury - Basic Research and Clinical”, “Clinical Hemodialysis Engineering Technology”, “Clinical Specification of Hemodialysis Vascular Access”, “Practical Internal Medicine (14th, 15th, 16th, and 17th editions)”, “Standard Operating Procedures of Blood Purification”, and “Manual of Emergency Medicine”,  “Clinical Specifications of Hemodialysis Vascular Access", "Standard Operating Procedures of Blood Purification", "Manual of Internal Medicine Emergency," etc. The team also participated in the preparation of "Internal Medicine" (five-year, seven-year, eight-year national planning textbook), "New Theories and New Techniques of Internal Medicine," "Internal Medicine Examination and Problems", "Nephrology", "Kidney Transplantation", "Theory and Practice of Nephrology", "Theory and Practice of Nephrology" and "Theory and Practice of Kidney Transplantation", Theory and Practice of Nephrology", "Dictionary," "Handbook of Practical Drugs" and more than 40 textbooks or monographs.

While accomplishing much medical and teaching work, the Department of Nephrology actively carries out scientific research and other aspects of work and has achieved high-level results. In the past five years, it has won one first prize and one second prize of the Shanghai Science and Technology Award, three second prizes of the Shanghai Medical Science and Technology Award, one first prize of Shanghai Teaching Achievements, and three science popularization awards, such as the Excellence Award for Health Science Popularization video issued by the National Health Commission.