As a research center embedded within Kaiser Permanente’s large and dynamic health care system, our investigators have a unique opportunity to apply scientific expertise to real-world clinical problems, translate findings into practice, and share what we learn with the broader community.
Dr. Richard Treger is a nephrologist and clinician researcher at the Kaiser Permanente Los Angeles Medical Center. He is interested in medical education and academic nephrology. He is a clinical associate professor and nephrology Phase 3 subspecialty director at the Kaiser Permanente Bernard J. Tyson School of Medicine. He is also the program director of the Kaiser Permanente Southern California Nephrology Fellowship program.
Dr. Treger has participated in multiple large clinical trials, ...
Over the years, clinical trials have led to amazing advances in treatment—even cures—for devastating illnesses. William Towner, MD, FACP, FIDSA, regional physician director for clinical trials, describes how trials at Kaiser Permanente contribute to the development of more effective and safer treatments for diseases such as HIV, hepatitis C, cancer, and more. (2:15)
A new study led by Kaiser Permanente researchers compared how well 4 different types of glucose-lowering medications reduced the risk of heart attack and stroke for patients with type 2 diabetes, providing important new information for these patients and their physicians. The study, published in JAMA Network Open in October, 2025, analyzed data collected on ...
Breast cancer survivors face a high risk of major depressive disorder, also known as clinical depression, particularly if they also have insomnia, according to findings from a new study of Kaiser Permanente members. “We determined that the risk of major depression disorder was markedly higher in breast cancer survivors than in a matched group of ...
Nearly 1 in 5 urinary tract infections (UTIs) in Southern California could be due to E. coli strains transmitted through contaminated meat, according to a new study of Kaiser Permanente Southern California members. The research also found that those living in low-income neighborhoods were at increased risk of these infections. The study was published in ...
After COVID-19 hit in 2020, some physicians within Kaiser Permanente grew concerned that their patients with diabetes weren’t achieving healthy blood sugar control. Even when they came into the office for a visit, follow-up for getting labs to check on their hemoglobin A1c— a blood test that measures the average blood sugar level over the ...
Adolescent and young adult cancer survivors face significantly higher risks of developing chronic medical conditions compared to their peers without cancer, a new study showed. The findings were published in Cancer, the journal of the American Cancer Society. “As cancer survival rates improve for adolescent and young adult cancer survivors, their numbers are increasing,” said ...
Check out our latest issue for a roundup of our most recent research and profiles on a few of our newest postdocs. This issue features new findings on opioid tapering programs that show that patients on long-term high-dose opioids who gradually reduced their dose within 3 months faced a lower risk of overdose within a year. It also shares important recent findings that the COVID-19 vaccine does not increase the risk of tinnitus, as well as findings about patterns of breast cancer imaging and Type 2 diabetes remission.
The Division of Clinician Research provides support and resources for researchers who maintain clinical practices while building their own research portfolios. Key goals include fostering collaboration among clinician researchers, expanding research education, and promoting research that has the potential to transform care and improve the health of our communities.
The division, which was established in 2023, provides administrative support to the Regional Research Committee and the Clinician Investigator Program and manages a team of biostatisticians dedicated to physician research. It co-leads the Care Improvement Research Team, a group that brings together clinicians and research scientists to answer questions with the potential to change practice.
The division actively engages with various collaborators throughout the organization and is working to establish an interconnected network of clinicians, scientists, educators, administrators, and leaders who will work together to drive clinically impactful change through research.