Dr Michael Sagmeister PhD MRCP

• PhD in Metabolism and Systems Science, University of Birmingham, 2024
• Specialty Certificate Examination in Nephrology, 2020
• Membership of the Royal College of Physicians, 2014
• Postgraduate Certificate in Clinical Education, King’s College London, 2014
• M.B.B.S., University College London, 2012
• BA(Hons) Preclinical Medical Studies with Intercalation in Pharmacology, University of Cambridge, 2009 

Michael studied medicine at University of Cambridge and University College London. He has worked as a junior doctor in London and Munich, Germany, before moving to Birmingham in 2015 for specialty training in Nephrology and Internal Medicine as an NIHR Academic Clinical Fellow. His early research explored complications affecting patients with ANCA-associated vasculitis or chronic kidney disease.

A Clinical Research Training Fellowship from the Medical Research Council was awarded to Michael in 2020 to undertake at PhD at the Department of Metabolism and Systems Science, University of Birmingham. His PhD research examined causes and potential treatments for muscle wasting in chronic kidney disease, with a focus on cortisol metabolism. Thereafter, Michael was appointed Clinical Lecturer in Renal Medicine in 2024 to continue translational research on comorbidities in chronic kidney disease alongside completing specialty medical training.

Education and mentorship are important to Michael. He obtained a PG Certificate in Clinical Education from King’s College London, lead delivery of the renal medicine module for MBChB students and currently supervises postgraduate research students.

Michael has taken on several roles to support research and training at University of Birmingham and beyond. He acts as trainee representative for the Integrated Clinical Academic Training programme in the West Midlands, serves on the Scientific Advisory Committee for the Birmingham NIHR Clinical Research Facility and has been appointed Deputy Lead for the Sarcopenia & Multimorbidity research theme of the Birmingham NIHR Biomedical Research Centre.

• Medicine and Surgery MBChB
• Biomedical Science BSc

• Skeletal muscle dysfunction and sarcopenia in chronic kidney disease
• Steroid metabolism and multimorbidity in chronic kidney disease
• Renal inflammation and fibrosis
• Preclinical models of impaired immunity in kidney disease

Research Themes:

• Chronic Kidney Disease
• Sarcopenia
• Multimorbidity
• Steroid Metabolism
• Preclinical Models of Kidney Disease
• Inflammation and Immune Dysfunction.

Research Overview:

Michael’s research aims to elucidate molecular and physiological mechanisms by which chronic kidney disease (CKD) contributes to the development multimorbidity so that we can develop precision interventions that are targeted at specific disease pathways or stratified to specific patient populations.

• Sarcopenia:

Skeletal muscle loss and weakness (sarcopenia) as a key manifestation of multimorbidity in CKD. Michael investigates the interplay between uraemic toxins, inflammation, hormonal dysregulation, mitochondrial dysfunction and ageing in skeletal muscle. He integrates human muscle biopsy studies, mouse models, primary cell cultures, and advanced molecular profiling (transcriptomics, metabolomics). Utilising these methods, he aims to unravel the aetiology of sarcopenia in CKD, to identify biomarkers for stratifying heterogenous patient populations and to test potential therapeutic strategies for preserving muscle mass and strength.

• Steroid Metabolism:

Michael’s research has examined altered glucocorticoid metabolism as a cause for metabolic dysfunction and muscle atrophy. He studied the enzyme 11β-hydroxysteroid dehydrogenase type 1 (11β-HSD1) as a key regulator of intracellular glucocorticoid activation, using LC/MS steroid metabolome analysis and tissue-specific metabolic tracer assays. His findings have highlighted how upregulated 11β-HSD1 activity exacerbates catabolic processes, and he is exploring pharmacological inhibition of this enzyme as a potential therapeutic avenue for sarcopenia in CKD and ageing.

• Translational Preclinical Models:

Michael has developed expertise in several translational preclinical models to dissect mechanistic drivers of multimorbidity in CKD and other settings. This involves murine models (adenine diet, ageing, glucocorticoid excess) for probing effects on skeletal muscle, bone and cardiac tissues. Furthermore, he has experience with human primary cell culture models for isolating the effects of circulating factors on cellular metabolism and signalling.

• Inflammation & Immune Dysfunction:

Inflammation and impaired immunity are emerging and expanding areas of Michael’s research. He investigates the interplay between inflammation and steroid metabolism in driving renal fibrosis and accelerating CKD progression. Additionally, he has started a collaboration to explore how systemic low-grade inflammation, uraemic toxins, and metabolic disturbances contribute to secondary immunodeficiency in CKD, with the aim of identifying therapeutic targets to restore immune competence and reduce infection risk.

Honorary Specialist Registrar in Renal Medicine, University Hospitals Birmingham NHS Foundation Trust