Udeme Ekrikpo, PhD is a postdoctoral fellow at the University of Alabama at Birmingham and has been part of the Deep South KUH PRIME since December 2024. His research topic is “Development and Validation of Deep Learning-based Risk Prediction Models for Short and Long Term Outcomes in Acute Kidney Injury Individuals.”
Q: Do you have any particular experiences, interests, or passions that have shaped you as a researcher?
A: In 2007, I had the privilege of helping to pioneer kidney replacement therapy for a population of approximately 6.3 million people in Nigeria’s far south, along the Atlantic coast. Although the work was physically demanding, it was the emotional toll that proved most profound. Over time, many patients became friends, and witnessing their lives cut short—not by lack of medical knowledge, but by the inability to sustain out-of-pocket payments for hemodialysis—left a lasting mark on me.
In this setting, kidney failure affects individuals at a far younger age than is typical in North America or Europe. These experiences ignited a deep and enduring commitment to finding a sustainable solution to end-stage kidney disease, and ultimately to confronting a fundamental question: can kidney fibrosis be reversed?”
Q: What do you hope to achieve with your current research? How did you come to specialize in your particular field of research?
A: I came to UAB Nephrology to train under the mentorship of Drs. Javier Neyra and Jin Chen. I am convinced that machine learning and deep learning methodologies represent powerful tools for advancing my lifelong goal of identifying durable
solutions to kidney failure.
My introduction to machine learning occurred while I was serving as Research Team Lead at DaVita Care in Saudi Arabia. Encouraged by the strong support of my Chief Medical Officer, Dr. Wisam Al Badr, and DaVita International’s Lead Data Scientist, Hansel Palencia, I made the decision to pursue a second MSc to acquire a rigorous foundation in these methods. I am now firmly convinced that this path offers the most direct route toward achieving my long-term vision.
Although the learning curve has been steep—given that much of my professional life has been spent as a clinician and epidemiologist—it is a challenge I consider both necessary and worthwhile.
Q: What are some key pieces of wisdom you have learned to live by?
A: Remain humble, and doors will open. It is only with a humble heart that one can truly learn.
Q: How do you balance your passion for solving this major area of research, with time with your family?
A: My wife has been an unwavering source of support and a cornerstone of my academic growth. We have been married for 20 years, and in the early years of our marriage, the long hours I spent in hospitals and the frequent travel in pursuit of academic and research opportunities sometimes gave the impression that I was not fully committed to our family life. Over time, however, her understanding, patience, and steadfast encouragement have sustained me. She has been my greatest support, and I owe her more than I can adequately express.
Q: What do you wish you would have known when you were first starting out your training?
A: I have always been clear about what I wanted to do and who I aspired to become; however, until recently, I lacked an enabling environment in which to fully cultivate that potential. It is never too late to do what one intends to do.
Q: Who/what has had the greatest impact on your work and drive?
A: Like Jesus, I aspire to make a lasting impact that transcends generations. He represents the highest expression of purpose and creativity, and his life exemplifies how enduring change is achieved through vision, service, and commitment to something greater than oneself.