The Kidney Wellness Institute of Illiniois’ (KIWII) mission is to optimize the healthcare experience and quality of life of individuals with Chronic Kidney Disease (CKD), using primarily non- pharmacological prevention and treatment strategies such as exercise, dietary modifications, and other behavioral interventions.
Chronic kidney disease (CKD) affects approximately 15% of the U.S. population and Medicare costs exceed $120 billion annually. This science team will develop strategies to improve the health and wellness of CKD patients while realizing tremendous economic impact. Our vision is to optimize the healthcare experience and quality of life (QOL) of individuals with CKD. Technology plays a key role, specifically using VR to increase exercise adherence and nutrition knowledge, and using machine learning to optimize patient-centered fluid management.
kwilund@illinois.edu
University of Illinois at Urbanan-Champaign: Professor, Kinesiology and Community Health
rherna17@illinois.edu
University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign: Associate Professor, Social Work
tbaynard@uic.edu
University of Illinois at Chicago: Associate Professor, Kinesiology and Nutrition
Gwendolyn Derk
gderk2@illinois.edu
University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign: MD PhD Student, Medicine
fernhall@uic.edu
University of Illinois at Chicago: Professor, Kinesiology and Nutrition
Kevin Fowler
kevinjohnfowler@gmail.com
Voice of the Patient, Inc.: Consultant and Patient Advocate
kesh@illinois.edu
University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign: Professor, Industrial & Enterprise Systems Engineering
jianpeng@illinois.edu
University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign: Associate Professor, Computer Science
ssouyris@illinois.edu
University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign, Postdoc Research Associate, Business Administration
ronw@illinois.edu
University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign: Assistant Dean, College of Business
arwool@illinois.edu
University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign: Assistant Professor, Industrial and Enterprise Systems Engineering
Joviality™ creates VR programming to improve health and wellness for patients with a variety of chronic health conditions including Chronic Kidney Disease (CKD).
Hemodialysis patients routinely experience side effects such as fatigue, lightheadedness and nausea during their treatment sessions. But patients in a study who used a virtual reality program to engage in a mindfulness/meditation exercise reported that these treatment-related symptoms were greatly reduced.
Patients in the study wore a head-mounted virtual reality display to participate in a 25-minute mindfulness/meditation intervention called Joviality, a fully immersive experience that transported them to settings away from the clinic.
The College of Applied Health Sciences has experts in many research areas. Today, we ask KCH professor Ken Wilund about his research on chronic kidney disease and the new Kidney Wellness Institute of Illinois.
VINCE LARA: KCH Professor Ken Wilund has established the Kidney Wellness Institute of Illinois, which is aimed at improving the health and quality life of patients with chronic kidney disease.
School of Social Work professor Rosalba Hernandez is the co-investigator on a newly funded project by the Discovery Partners Institute for the development of the Kidney Wellness Institute of Illinois.
KIWII will bring together local and international leaders in research, medicine, industry, and patient-advocacy to address chronic kidney disease, which affects approximately 15 percent of the U.S. population and costs more than $120 billion a year to treat.