As an organ health specialist with Natera in Huntington Beach, California, Arpie Madenlian provides diagnostic and genetic testing supplies to nephrologists and other health care professionals who treat patients with kidney disease and kidney failure. Throughout her career, Arpie Madenlian has also partnered with nonprofit groups, including the National Kidney Foundation.

In a recent press release, the National Kidney Foundation (NKF) announced the launch of the NKF Innovation Fund, an investment initiative focused on accelerating funding for kidney therapies. The fund will focus specifically on preventing kidney disease, eliminating the wait list for kidney transplants, and improving treatments for dialysis patients.

Prior to its public launch, the NKF Innovation Fund had already received attention from major donors and made investments in innovative companies. The Seattle-based Kuleana Technology was one of the fund's first investment recipients. Aligned with the University of Washington, Kuleana Technology will use the funding from NKF to advance its work developing a portable hemodialysis device that requires no external water source and can be used on the go.

Since its launch in 1964, NKF has been raising funds for lifesaving therapies and research for patients with all types of kidney disease. The NKF Innovation Fund will build on this work by funding innovative companies working to change the approach to preventing and dealing with kidney issues.

More information about the fund and other NKF initiatives is available at www.kidney.org.