About

Brent Gillespie is a Professor of Mechanical Engineering and Robotics at the University of Michigan. His research interests include haptic interface and robotics, with specific focus on biomechanics & biosystems, controls, mechatronics, and robotics. He has been recognized for his contributions through various honors, including being an invited participant at the National Academies Keck Futures Initiative Program on Smart Prosthetics in November 2006, and serving as a delegate to the National Academy of Engineering Frontiers of Engineering in Fall 2004. Gillespie holds a Ph.D. in Mechanical Engineering from Stanford University, obtained in 1996, and a B.S. in Mechanical Engineering from the University of California at Davis. His academic background also includes a Master of Music from the San Francisco Conservatory of Music. He is based at the GGB building in Ann Arbor, MI, and has been involved in advancing education and research in mechatronics and robotics.

Research topics

• Urology
• Internal medicine
• Pathology
• Medicine
• Radiology

Selected publications

• Health-related quality of life in glomerular disease

  UNC Libraries · 2026-01-09

  articleOpen access1st authorCorresponding
  PublisherDOI

• CureGN Study Rationale, Design, and Methods: Establishing a Large Prospective Observational Study of Glomerular Disease

  UNC Libraries · 2026-01-09

  articleOpen access
  PublisherDOI

• Lessons learned from conducting a multi-center lower urinary tract physiology study: the LURN experience

  Continence · 2026-02-16

  articleOpen access

  Purpose: To document the logistics and technical considerations of a multi-center protocol evaluating the sensory and motor function of both the bladder and the urethra, in women with urgency only, urinary urgency with incontinence, and controls. Methods: The study network organization and infrastructure are described, with attention to the technical training methods and continuous data quality control. Results: The LURN Organ study was approved in March 2020 and enrolled participants from March 2021 - November 2023, through the COVID pandemic. One hundred five participants were enrolled from all 6 research sites and completed the study testing protocol with no adverse events. All participants had evaluable data, and the majority of the participants had evaluable data from all 4 lower urinary tract (LUT) tests of the protocol. One test cohort did not reach the target enrollment adequate for statistical analysis. The lessons of a pilot study and technical practice; virtual training for a LUT physiology study; early, continuous technical and data quality control; diverse expertise within the research team, and under-enrollment in one cohort are discussed. Conclusions: The conduct of a large, multi-site extended lower urinary tract physiology study is necessarily complex, resource-intensive, and fraught with possible pitfalls. The lessons learned by the LURN-Organ study group, particularly in the context of unprecedented circumstances, will hopefully help and inspire future investigators to continue this much-needed clinical research in LUT function.

  PublisherDOI

• Lifestyle Medicine Research and Implementation in Chronic Kidney Disease

  Lifestyle Medicine · 2025-01-01

  book-chapterOpen access

  The focus of this chapter is on the evidence-based landscape describing the impact of two of the most important lifestyle components—healthy eating and physical activity—on chronic kidney disease (CKD) in adults in the stable outpatient setting. The interaction between cardiovascular disease (CVD) and kidney disease is increasingly recognized, particularly with the cardiovascular kidney metabolic health description. Healthy weight is a key element of Life’s Essential 8 because overweight and obesity are at the core of cardiovascular kidney metabolic syndrome. Dysfunctional fat characteristic of visceral or central overweight and obesity are associated with multiple pathologic processes mediated by pro-inflammatory macrophages; adipokines; oxidative stress; insulin resistance; endothelial dysfunction; and in turn, a vicious cycle of T2D, hypertension, dyslipidemia, CVD, and kidney disease. The existing evidence base strongly supports the impact of healthy eating and physically active living on chronic disease prevention, including CKD risk factors, CKD incidence, and CKD progression. Thus, lifestyles that promote cardiovascular health will also universally promote kidney health, with some caveats regarding CKD complications such as hyperkalemia and hyperphosphatemia. Nevertheless, there are still significant research gaps that need to be closed in order to optimize the implementation of lifestyle interventions in the CKD population.

  PublisherDOI

• Clinical Decision-Making About Immunosuppressive Treatment in Focal Segmental Glomerulosclerosis

  Kidney Medicine · 2025-02-10 · 1 citations

  articleOpen access

  <h3>Rationale & Objective</h3> Focal segmental glomerulosclerosis (FSGS) is a heterogeneous disorder with a high risk of progression to kidney failure. There are no approved therapies for FSGS, and futility of treatment is poorly defined. The Cure Glomerulonephropathy (CureGN) study offers the opportunity to describe the characteristics of participants who started immunosuppressive therapy (IST), never received IST, or in whom this treatment was discontinued. <h3>Study Design</h3> An observational cohort. <h3>Settings & Participants</h3> Participants enrolled in CureGN with FSGS and surveyed nephrologists. <h3>Interventions</h3> The clinical and laboratory data from participants with FSGS who were enrolled in the CureGN observational cohort were reviewed to define features associated with withholding initial IST or terminating ongoing IST. Nephrologists were surveyed about what factors would influence their decision to prescribe or withdraw IST in patients with FSGS. <h3>Outcomes</h3> (1) Identify factors associated with IST initiation and discontinuation in individuals with FSGS; and (2) Identify clinical and laboratory features nephrologists consider when they recommend against the use of IST at diagnosis (initiation of care) and during the course of disease. <h3>Results</h3> Based on quantitative findings from the CureGN cohort and survey responses from practicing nephrologists, a low estimated glomerular filtration rate at presentation, significant glomerulosclerosis, and interstitial fibrosis and tubular atrophy on kidney biopsy make initiation of IST less likely. <h3>Limitations</h3> Heterogeneous nature of the cohort and an inability to divide the patients into KDIGO subgroups of FSGS. Rationale for decision to stop or defer treatment was not available. More surveys were completed by pediatric providers, and the majority were completed by academic practitioners. <h3>Conclusions</h3> The factors that impact decisions about IST initiation and discontinuation were consistent among pediatric and internal medicine nephrologists, namely advanced scarring and lower estimated glomerular filtration rate. We suggest that this information should be incorporated into patient management guidelines and clinical trial design. <h3>Plain Language Summary</h3> Patients with focal segmental glomerulosclerosis (FSGS) are at high risk for progression to kidney failure and there are no approved therapies. This study from the CureGN consortium described clinical situations in which immunosuppressive therapy (IST) was started, not started, or discontinued in participants with FSGS. Furthermore, we surveyed nephrologists to better understand factors that influence the management of patients with FSGS. Participants in the CureGN cohort with a lower estimated glomerular filtration rate and advanced scarring on kidney biopsy were less likely to be started on IST and have this treatment discontinued, which was similar to what surveyed providers did in practice. Understanding the characteristics of these patients may help further develop management guidelines and assist in clinical trial design.

  PublisherDOI

• Epidemiology of Kidney Disease in the United States

  Clinical Journal of the American Society of Nephrology · 2025-12-04

  articleOpen access

  Kidney diseases are an important public health problem, rising in global significance. In place for nearly 2 decades, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention's Kidney Disease Surveillance System is the first comprehensive surveillance system developed in the United States, focused exclusively on tracking kidney disease before ESKD. The Kidney Disease Surveillance System incorporates key data and trends from multiple, large national-level survey data sources (National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey), electronic medical record data (Military and Veterans Affairs Health Systems), health care claims (Medicare, Optum), and social determinants of health (American Community Survey). The prevalence of CKD among civilian US adults remains steady between 13% and 14%. The prevalence is higher among older, female, non-Hispanic Black adults and those with diabetes or hypertension. Among US veterans, the incidence of CKD and rates of diagnosis of AKI increased from 2008 to 2022 (incidence: 62.8 to 71.5/1000 person-years, AKI: 84.9 to 241.7 cases/1000 person-years). Awareness of the disease nationwide among persons with CKD has historically been low (<10%), but starting in 2013, has increased to approximately 25%. Persons with CKD self-report more problems with sleep, and those aged 65 years and older self-report a higher prevalence of functional limitations. Improvements in quality-of-care measures, including medication prescription and increase in both serum creatinine and albuminuria testing were observed. Increased self-reported physical activity was observed among persons with CKD. Food insecurity increased among persons with CKD, with the highest prevalence in young, female, non-Hispanic Black, and Hispanic adults. Although population-level prevalence of CKD remains stable, higher AKI and CKD rates are being observed in health systems settings. This project's website can be found at https://wwwn.cdc.gov/KDSS/ . Robust surveillance is key to raising awareness of kidney disease, its risk factors, care quality, and outcomes. Surveillance findings may inform policy and evidence-based practices that reduce premature morbidity and mortality, improve quality of life, and reduce cost.

  PublisherDOI

• High density lipoprotein particle size and function associate with new cardiovascular events in patients with chronic kidney disease

  PLoS ONE · 2025-04-01 · 2 citations

  articleOpen accessCorresponding

  Chronic Kidney Disease (CKD) is a risk factor for cardiovascular disease (CVD), and patients with CKD have markedly higher CVD mortality compared to healthy controls. However, the relationship between specific lipoprotein profiles and new CV events in patients with advanced CKD and cardiovascular burden is unknown. We profiled the distribution of High density lipoprotein (HDL) size, particle concentration, and cholesterol and triglyceride content of the baseline plasma of 325 subjects with moderate CKD followed for 2.5 years using nuclear magnetic resonance (NMR) spectroscopy. We used Cox regression models controlled for various clinical factors to characterize the role of specific HDL profiles in predicting CV events in this high-risk population. The cholesterol uptake capacity of HDL from peripheral tissues- cholesterol efflux capacity (CEC) and HDL oxidation were also quantified using standardized assays. Patients with new CV events demonstrated increased HDL size, large HDL particle numbers, and CEC. Increased HDL particle size [HR = 2.56, p = 0.002], large HDL particle numbers [HR = 1.41, p = 0.001], HDL-cholesterol levels [HR = 1.03, p = 0.008], and CEC [HR = 1.46, p = 0.03] associated with CV events. Our study demonstrates that higher HDL particle size associated with new CV events in the CKD population with a high cardiovascular burden independent of CEC and HDL cholesterol. Collectively, the data strongly associate altered lipoprotein metabolism, particularly HDL metabolism, and new CV events in patients with established CKD and CVD, allowing us to risk stratify and potentially reduce mortality and morbidity in this high-risk population.

  PublisherOA PDFDOI

• Expanded Physiological Testing of the Lower Urinary Tract in Asymptomatic Women and Those With Urgency Urinary Incontinence: Findings From the LURN‐Organ Study

  Neurourology and Urodynamics · 2025-03-31 · 3 citations

  articleOpen access

  PURPOSE: To investigate sensory and motor function of the bladder and urethra in women with and without urgency urinary incontinence (UUI). MATERIALS AND METHODS: Treatment-seeking women with UUI and healthy, asymptomatic, nontreatment seeking controls enrolled in the Symptoms of Lower Urinary Tract Dysfunction Research Network Organ-Based study (LURN-Organ) and underwent a single session of physiological testing. Testing included rapid-fill cystometry before and after lidocaine administration, urethral pressure profiles, pelvic floor contraction (Kegel) testing, and tuning fork sensation testing at the urethral meatus. RESULTS: Data were collected from 31 asymptomatic controls and 56 women with UUI. Women with UUI were more likely to demonstrate detrusor overactivity (DO) (32% vs. 10% in controls, p = 0.019). In addition, women with UUI on average generated 25% lower active urethral closure pressures during maximal contraction (p = 0.0016) and reported sensations at lower volumes during cystometry (34% lower for first desire to void, p = 0.028; 34% lower for strong desire to void, p = 0.0017; and 32% lower for maximum cystometric capacity, p = 0.0047). Women with UUI demonstrated diminished urethral sensation on the tuning fork test (median of 7 vs. 8 in controls) though the difference was not significant (p = 0.054). Considerable overlap in all findings occurred between cases and controls in each parameter. While individual component comparisons revealed some differences, additional multivariable analysis demonstrated prominently the physiological heterogeneity of women with UUI. CONCLUSIONS: Women with UUI demonstrated varying amounts of bladder sensory dysfunction, urethral motor dysfunction and bladder motor dysfunction. Considering the function of lower urinary tract components in combination may reveal UUI phenotypes, highlighting the need to study UUI from a multifactorial perspective. CLINICAL TRIAL REGISTRATION: ClinicalTrials.gov Identifier: NCT04557748.

  PublisherOA PDFDOI

• Mapping the Overlap of Poverty Level and Prevalence of Diagnosed Chronic Kidney Disease Among Medicare Beneficiaries in the United States

  Preventing Chronic Disease · 2024-04-01 · 7 citations

  articleOpen access

  Preventing Chronic Disease (PCD) is a peer-reviewed electronic journal established by the National Center for Chronic Disease Prevention and Health Promotion. PCD provides an open exchange of information and knowledge among researchers, practitioners, policy makers, and others who strive to improve the health of the public through chronic disease prevention.

  PublisherDOI

• Using Risk Assessment to Improve Screening for Albuminuria among US Adults without Diabetes

  Journal of General Internal Medicine · 2024-11-18 · 2 citations

  articleOpen access

  BACKGROUND: Guidelines currently recommend annual screening for albuminuria only among persons with diabetes mellitus (DM). There is no guidance about albuminuria screening in those with other important risk factors for chronic kidney disease (CKD), such as hypertension and/or family history of kidney disease. We sought to create a risk score that predicts the likelihood of albuminuria in adults without diabetes to prompt earlier detection and management of CKD. METHODS: Data from 44,322 participants without diabetes, aged 18 + years from the National Health and Nutrition Examination Surveys 1999-2020 were analyzed. Survey-weighted logistic regression was used to assess associations between individual characteristics and presence of albuminuria (urinary albumin to creatinine ratio [UACR] ≥ 30 mg/g), including interaction terms, in three separate models. The sample was divided equally into development and validation data sets. C-statistics were used to assess model fit. RESULTS: The prevalence of albuminuria was 9.7% in the US adult population. Higher odds of albuminuria among the non-diabetic population were observed in females, non-Hispanic Black, and smokers, as well as those with low eGFR, hypertension, cardiovascular disease, prediabetes, low HDL cholesterol, and high uric acid levels. Age showed a J-shaped relationship with albuminuria, with lowest odds for ages 25-64 years. The C-statistic was 0.756 for the developmental and 0.752 for the validation set of the final model. Using this model, screening individuals with a predicted probability of ≥ 5% would capture 85% of individuals with albuminuria. CONCLUSIONS: These results suggest that it may be helpful to use a risk score framework for albuminuria screening in people without DM to encourage earlier detection and management of CKD. Longitudinal studies are warranted to confirm this approach along with evaluation of its cost effectiveness.

  PublisherOA PDFDOI

Recent grants

• NIH Grant P01GM067189

  NIH · $6.7M · 2009

• Computational Pathology of Proteinuric Diseases

  NIH · $3.6M · 2018–2026

• CureGN

  NIH · $10.7M · 2013–2029

Frequent coauthors

• Rajiv Saran

  Michigan United

  157 shared

• Lawrence B. Holzman

  University of Pennsylvania

  144 shared

• Takashi Akiba

  Toho University Medical Center Sakura Hospital

  144 shared

• Jarcy Zee

  Children's Hospital of Philadelphia

  140 shared

• Abigail R. Smith

  Northwestern University

  138 shared

• Michel Jadoul

  UCLouvain

  137 shared

• Laura Barisoni

  Duke University

  129 shared

• Friedrich K. Port

  Arbor Research Collaborative for Health

  129 shared

Education

• Ph.D., Statistics

  Temple University

  1989

• M.S., Statistics

  Ohio State University

  1975

• B.A., Mathematics

  Earlham College

  1972

Awards & honors

• Invited Participant at the National Academies Keck Futures I…
• Delegate to the National Academy of Engineering Frontiers of…
• Presidential Early Career Award for Scientists and Engineers…
• Member, Tau Beta Pi
• CAREER Award, Division of Computational Science and Engineer…