Fredric L. Coe, MD

Dr Fredric Coe is a Professor in the Department of Medicine at the University of Chicago. He is a physician-scientist whose work integrates clinical care, mechanistic investigation and real-world impact. His interests center on kidney stone disease, mineral metabolism and translational nephrology, and he has developed a public-facing education platform for stone prevention through the website “kidneystones.uchicago.edu.”

Dr. Coe, a graduate of the University of Chicago College and Medical School, established a robust research and clinical program in stone-forming disorders. He has published extensively on the physiology of renal mineral handling, tubular transport, urinary supersaturation and the long-term consequences of recurrent nephrolithiasis for renal and bone health. The manuscripts emanating from his laboratory reflect a wide range of basic and clinical science— studies of endogenous lithium clearance in proximal tubule transport, transcriptomic profiling of papillary tissue in stone formers—but also a commitment to clinical relevance and preventive strategies for a condition that affects approximately one in 11 Americans.

In his clinical role, Dr Coe sees patients with complex stone-forming disorders, bone-mineral disease and related nephrology issues. He participates in an interdisciplinary setting in which urology, nutrition, dietetics and radiology collaborate to deliver individualized, evidence-informed prevention plans. The long-standing Kidney Stone Evaluation and Treatment Program at the University of Chicago has cared for thousands of patients, while concurrently training fellows and generating investigative work that has influenced stone-management protocols worldwide.

As an educator and communicator, Dr Coe has built the website “kidneystones.uchicago.edu,” which serves patients, scientists and clinicians alike, offering a “Kidney Stone Guide Book”, video tutorials and downloadable chapters exploring the mechanistic underpinnings of stone formation, crystallization bio-chemistry and prevention strategies. Through this resource he extends his academic mission beyond the clinic and laboratory and into the community of patients and practitioners.

Within the research domain, his laboratory seeks to answer fundamental questions: Which patients will form stones? Why do some recur despite apparently adequate treatment? How do genetic, dietary, fluid-intake and occupational factors interact in promoting stone formation? In designing prospective cohorts, clearance studies and mechanistic investigations, he marshals physiology, imaging, tubular biology and epidemiology into one coherent trajectory. His comparative evaluations of urinary transport parameters, kidney-papillary microanatomy and metabolic responses to diet have yielded novel insights into stone disease.

Dr Coe’s scholarship is marked by a strong translational arc from mechanism to patient; an emphasis on prevention rather than just treatment; a commitment to lifelong learning and teaching; and a readiness to bring complex physiology into the clinic in ways that improve patient outcomes. His contributions have helped shape dietary, pharmacologic and behavioural prevention paradigms—such as attention to fluid intake, urinary supersaturation, diet modification (including calcium, sodium, protein, sugar, and oxalate handling), and monitoring of bone-mineral status in recurrent stone formers—and thereby reduce the recurrence of stones and preserve renal function and bone.

In the domain of mentorship and leadership, he has held roles training nephrology fellows, post-doctoral scientists and physician-investigators. He furthermore contributes to national efforts in nephrolithiasis, serving as a trusted voice in guidelines discussions, peer-review and education. Through his website and laboratory group, Fred is cultivating the next generation of investigators in stone disease, mineral metabolism and prevention research.