York Pei, MD, FRCP(C), FACP, FASN, is a Professor of Medicine in the Division of Nephrology at the University of Toronto; a Senior Scientist at the Toronto General Hospital Research Institute, University Health Network; and the Director of the Centre for Innovative Management of Polycystic Kidney Disease, University Health Network.
His research has mainly focused on identifying the genetic factors involved in the initiation or progression of genetic kidney diseases as a target for developing novel diagnostic tests and therapies. His research program focuses on genetic, genomic and translational research of hereditary kidney diseases with a major focus on autosomal dominant polycystic kidney disease (ADPKD). He has made important contributions to genetic research of other hereditary kidney diseases, including familial IgA nephropathy, familial nephrotic syndrome and Alport syndrome. He has published over 150 peer-reviewed articles, has collaborated widely with researchers nationally and internationally, and has trained numerous clinical and research fellows in hereditary kidney disease.
He founded the Centre for Innovative Management for Polycystic Kidney Disease in 2015 which provides advanced diagnostic and novel therapeutics for ADPKD. More than 500 patients are currently followed or co-managed at the centre with over 95% of them involved in at least one research project.
Dr. Pei was the co-recipient of the Lillian Jean Kaplan International Prize for polycystic kidney disease in 2019 and the recipient of the Medal for Research Excellence by the Kidney Foundation of Canada in 2020.