Pitt Pediatrics congratulates Jacqueline Ho, MD, MSc, Director of the Division of Nephrology in the Department of Pediatrics, for her election to the Society of Pediatric Research Council as the nephrology representative. 
The Society of Pediatric Research (SPR) is a national organization that works to promote research, mentoring, and communications among researchers from institutions across the country. The ultimate goal of the SPR is to improve children’s health and wellness nationally by fostering the growth of a diverse network of multi-disciplinary researchers, clinicians, and scientists. Council members are elected to 3-year terms and are typically nominated by other SPR members, indicating that an election to the SPR Council demonstrates significant admiration for a researcher’s work in their given field by their peers.
Ho’s research program is focused on understanding the role of microRNAs in kidney development and disease. Her recent research has demonstrated that microRNAs are involved in regulating the proliferation and survival of nephron progenitors in the developing kidney, which can affect subsequent kidney health in children and adults. Ho received her medical degree at the University of Western Ontario, and trained in pediatrics at British Columbia Children’s Hospital at the University of British Columbia. She subsequently studied a subspecialty of pediatric nephrology at Children’s Hospital Boston at Harvard Medical School.
During her term on the SPR Council, Ho hopes to focus on the development of the training of physician-scientists nationally as they grow into specialties and subspecialties.
Learn more about Ho’s research efforts on her lab page.