His first lecture, “Acute Kidney Injury in Plasma Cell Dyscrasias,” addressed causes of renal failure in patients with monoclonal gammopathies – conditions in which abnormal proteins are found in the blood. These proteins are produced by plasma cells in the bone marrow.
In Herrera’s published research on the subject, he highlighted new mechanisms of renal damage previously unrecognized. “These findings in renal biopsies when properly recognized allow prompt therapy with good results for these patients,” he said.
In his second lecture, “Renal Amyloidosis: Pathogenesis,” Herrera discussed how amyloidosis – the buildup of an abnormal protein called amyloid – occurs in the kidney.
“We are currently working on experimental approaches to test new therapeutic avenues to avoid renal damage in these patients,” said Herrera, whose work is supported by the Amyloidosis Foundation.
Herrera received his medical degree from the University of Puerto Rico School of Medicine in San Juan. He completed his residency training in anatomic and clinical pathology at Brooke Army Medical Center in San Antonio, Texas. He is certified by the American Board of Pathology in anatomic and clinical pathology and cytopathology.
