Researcher Spotlight: Charles O’Neill

What is your professional background? 
My undergraduate training was at MIT and I attended Tufts Medical School. My residency was at Albany Medical Center in New York, followed by an endocrinology fellowship at Tufts. I joined the Division of Endocrinology, Metabolism, and Lipids at Emory in 1985 and then joined the Division of Renal Medicine faculty in 1990 after completing additional training.

In what division do you work, and who is your mentor? 
I am a member of the Division of Renal Medicine.

Briefly describe your research. Why is it important? 
I study vascular calcification, which is a serious problem, particularly in dialysis patients. Our basic and clinical research has established that vascular calcification is normally suppressed by endogenous inhibitors, deficiency of which is an important cause. We are developing new therapies based on these inhibitors and have developed a method to quantify vascular calcification on mammograms, which we will be using for future clinical trials.

What do you like most about Emory? 
The comradery and collaboration especially among my colleagues in the Division of Renal Medicine, but also the entire department and university. It has been very satisfying watching the department grow and flourish over these 35 years.

What is your favorite movie or TV show? 
Ken Burns’s ‘Civil War.’

What do you like to do in your spare time?
Biking, bridge, cooking, and gardening.

What is a fun fact about you? 
I play the banjo in a Bluegrass band.