Welcome to the new season of Frontiers in Kidney Medicine and Biointelligence!

In our season-opening episode, Len Usvyat speaks with Dr. Navdeep Tangri, MD, PhD, FRCPC, Professor of Medicine at the University of Manitoba, whose pioneering work transformed chronic kidney disease care through the development of the Kidney Failure Risk Equation (KFRE).

Dr. Tangri shares his journey from early neural network experiments to creating one of the most widely implemented risk equations in nephrology. The conversation spans global validation of predictive models, the importance of guidelines and publishing, and the role of AI as a supporting tool—not a replacement—for clinicians.

Key topics include:

• The creation and worldwide adoption of the KFRE
• Overcoming barriers to data sharing and model validation
• Why local calibration strengthens prediction models
• How clinicians and technologists can work together to ensure AI augments, not replaces, medical expertise

Dr. Tangri emphasizes that nephrology must remain at the center, with AI serving as a powerful but secondary tool: "Nephrology first, AI second."