Whitney Besse, MD
Nephrology
Titles
- Assistant Professor of Medicine (Nephrology)
Education & Training
- Postdoctoral Research FellowYale School of Medicine (2018)
- Clinical Fellow, Research TrackYale School of Medicine (2015)
- ResidentYale School of Medicine (2012)
- MDUniversity of Connecticut School of Medicine (2009)
- BS (Hon)Brown University, Biomedical Engineering (2003)
Additional Information
Honors & Recognitions
- Young Physician-Scientist Award: American Society for Clinical Investigation (2022)
- Clinical Scientist Development Award: Doris Duke Charitable Foundation (2021)
- Mentored Research Award: Robert E. Leet and Clara Guthrie Patterson Trust (2019)
- Polycystic Kidney Disease Research Award: Polycystic Kidney Disease Foundation (2018)
- Research Fellowship Award: Polycystic Kidney Disease Foundation (2015)
- Internal Medicine Department Award: University of Connecticut School of Medicine (2009)
- Excellence in Medical Education: University of Connecticut School of Medicine (2009)
- US Sailing Team: United States Sailing (2004)
- Student Excellence Award for Biomedical Engineering Class of 2003: Brown Univeristy (2003)
- All-American Sailing Team 2003: Intercolleagiate Sailing Association (2003)
Publications
- Roy S, Li Z, Guo Z, Long K, Rehrl S, Tian X, Dong K, Besse W. Dnajb11-Kidney Disease Develops from Reduced Polycystin-1 Dosage but not Unfolded Protein Response in Mice. Journal Of The American Society Of Nephrology 2023, 34: 1521-1534. PMID: 37332102, PMCID: PMC10482070, DOI: 10.1681/asn.0000000000000164.
- Besse W, Chang AR, Luo JZ, Triffo WJ, Moore BS, Gulati A, Hartzel DN, Mane S, Center R, Torres VE, Somlo S, Mirshahi T. ALG9 Mutation Carriers Develop Kidney and Liver Cysts. Journal Of The American Society Of Nephrology 2019, 30: 2091-2102. PMID: 31395617, PMCID: PMC6830805, DOI: 10.1681/asn.2019030298.
- Besse W, Dong K, Choi J, Punia S, Fedeles SV, Choi M, Gallagher AR, Huang EB, Gulati A, Knight J, Mane S, Tahvanainen E, Tahvanainen P, Sanna-Cherchi S, Lifton RP, Watnick T, Pei YP, Torres VE, Somlo S. Isolated polycystic liver disease genes define effectors of polycystin-1 function. Journal Of Clinical Investigation 2017, 127: 1772-1785. PMID: 28375157, PMCID: PMC5409105, DOI: 10.1172/jci90129.
- Besse W, Roosendaal C, Tuccillo L, Roy SG, Gallagher AR, Somlo S. Adult Inactivation of the Recessive Polycystic Kidney Disease Gene Causes Polycystic Liver Disease. Kidney360 2020, 1: 1068-1076. PMID: 33554127, PMCID: PMC7861569, DOI: 10.34067/kid.0002522020.
- Gall E, Olson RJ, Besse W, Heyer CM, Gainullin VG, Smith JM, Audrézet MP, Hopp K, Porath B, Shi B, Baheti S, Senum SR, Arroyo J, Madsen CD, Férec C, Joly D, Jouret F, Fikri-Benbrahim O, Charasse C, Coulibaly JM, Yu AS, Khalili K, Pei Y, Somlo S, Le Meur Y, Torres VE, Group G, Group T, Disease T, Harris PC. Monoallelic Mutations to DNAJB11 Cause Atypical Autosomal-Dominant Polycystic Kidney Disease. American Journal Of Human Genetics 2018, 102: 832-844. PMID: 29706351, PMCID: PMC5986722, DOI: 10.1016/j.ajhg.2018.03.013.
- Besse W, Choi J, Ahram D, Mane S, Sanna‐Cherchi S, Torres V, Somlo S. A noncoding variant in GANAB explains isolated polycystic liver disease (PCLD) in a large family. Human Mutation 2018, 39: 378-382. PMID: 29243290, PMCID: PMC5805583, DOI: 10.1002/humu.23383.
- Mizuno H, Besse W, Sekine A, Long K, Kurihara S, Oba Y, Yamanouchi M, Hasegawa E, Suwabe T, Sawa N, Ubara Y, Somlo S, Hoshino J. Genetic Analysis of Severe Polycystic Liver Disease in Japan. Kidney360 2024 PMID: 38689396, DOI: 10.34067/kid.0000000000000461.
- Schönauer R, Sierks D, Boerrigter M, Jawaid T, Caroff L, Audrezet M, Friedrich A, Shaw M, Degenhardt J, Forberger M, de Fallois J, Bläker H, Bergmann C, Gödiker J, Schindler P, Schlevogt B, Müller R, Berg T, Patterson I, Griffiths W, Sayer J, Consortium G, Ambrose J, Arumugam P, Bevers R, Bleda M, Boardman-Pretty F, Boustred C, Brittain H, Caulfield M, Chan G, Elgar G, Fowler T, Giess A, Hamblin A, Henderson S, Hubbard T, Jackson R, Jones L, Kasperaviciute D, Kayikci M, Kousathanas A, Lahnstein L, Leigh S, Leong I, Lopez J, Maleady-Crowe F, McEntagart M, Minneci F, Moutsianas L, Mueller M, Murugaesu N, Need A, O’Donovan P, Odhams C, Patch C, Pereira M, Perez-Gil D, Pullinger J, Rahim T, Rendon A, Rogers T, Savage K, Sawant K, Scott R, Siddiq A, Sieghart A, Smith S, Sosinsky A, Stuckey A, Tanguy M, Tavares A, Thomas E, Thompson S, Tucci A, Welland M, Williams E, Witkowska K, Wood S, Popp B, Torres V, Hogan M, Somlo S, Watnick T, Nevens F, Besse W, Gall E, Harris P, Drenth J, Halbritter J. Sex, Genotype, and Liver Volume Progression as Risk of Hospitalization Determinants in Autosomal Dominant Polycystic Liver Disease. Gastroenterology 2023, 166: 902-914. PMID: 38101549, DOI: 10.1053/j.gastro.2023.12.007.
- Sierks D, Schönauer R, Boerrigter M, Jawaid T, Audrezet M, Caroff L, Degenhardt J, de Fallois J, Schlevogt B, Berg T, Nevens F, Watnick T, Sayer J, Besse W, Gall E, Harris P, Drenth J, Halbritter J. Combined Consideration of Sex, Genotype, and Total Liver Volume Progression Determines the Risk of Hospitalization in an International Multicenter Cohort of Autosomal Dominant Polycystic Liver Disease. Journal Of The American Society Of Nephrology 2023, 34: 934-935. DOI: 10.1681/asn.20233411s1934c.
- Hanna C, Iliuta I, Besse W, Mekahli D, Chebib F. Cystic Kidney Diseases in Children and Adults: Differences and Gaps in Clinical Management. Seminars In Nephrology 2023, 43: 151434. PMID: 37996359, DOI: 10.1016/j.semnephrol.2023.151434.
- Boulogne F, Claus L, Wiersma H, Oelen R, Schukking F, de Klein N, Li S, Westra H, van der Zwaag B, van Reekum F, Sierks D, Schönauer R, Li Z, Bijlsma E, Bos W, Halbritter J, Knoers N, Besse W, Deelen P, Franke L, van Eerde A. KidneyNetwork: using kidney-derived gene expression data to predict and prioritize novel genes involved in kidney disease. European Journal Of Human Genetics 2023, 31: 1300-1308. PMID: 36807342, PMCID: PMC10620423, DOI: 10.1038/s41431-023-01296-x.
- Khamirani H, Palicharla VR, Dastgheib SA, Dianatpour M, Imanieh MH, Tabei SS, Besse W, Mukhopadhyay S, Liem KF. A pathogenic variant of TULP3 causes renal and hepatic fibrocystic disease. Frontiers In Genetics 2022, 13: 1021037. PMID: 36276950, PMCID: PMC9585244, DOI: 10.3389/fgene.2022.1021037.
- Aron AW, Dahl NK, Besse W. A Practical Guide to Genetic Testing for Kidney Disorders of Unknown Etiology. Kidney360 2022, 3: 1640-1651. PMID: 36245662, PMCID: PMC9528385, DOI: 10.34067/kid.0007552021.
- Mirza H, Besse W, Somlo S, Weinreb J, Kenney B, Jain D. An update on ductal plate malformations and fibropolycystic diseases of the liver. Human Pathology 2022, 132: 102-113. PMID: 35777701, DOI: 10.1016/j.humpath.2022.06.022.
- Wolf M, Besse W, Bleyer A, Dahl N. Genetic Diseases Associated with Tubulointerstitial Nephritis. 2022, 139-160. DOI: 10.1007/978-3-030-93438-5_11.
- Besse W. Genetic Analysis in Kidney Disease: Advancing Clinical Diagnosis and Research Discovery. Kidney360 2020, 1: 720-723. PMID: 34327334, PMCID: PMC8317592, DOI: 10.34067/kid.0003632020.
- Wilson EM, Choi J, Torres VE, Somlo S, Besse W. Large Deletions in GANAB and SEC63 Explain 2 Cases of Polycystic Kidney and Liver Disease. Kidney International Reports 2020, 5: 727-731. PMID: 32405593, PMCID: PMC7210741, DOI: 10.1016/j.ekir.2020.01.009.
- Gulati A, Sevillano AM, Praga M, Gutierrez E, Alba I, Dahl NK, Besse W, Choi J, Somlo S. Collagen IV Gene Mutations in Adults With Bilateral Renal Cysts and CKD. Kidney International Reports 2019, 5: 103-108. PMID: 31922066, PMCID: PMC6943786, DOI: 10.1016/j.ekir.2019.09.004.
- Besse W, Mansour S, Jatwani K, Nast CC, Brewster UC. Collapsing glomerulopathy in a young woman with APOL1 risk alleles following acute parvovirus B19 infection: a case report investigation. BMC Nephrology 2016, 17: 125. PMID: 27600725, PMCID: PMC5013576, DOI: 10.1186/s12882-016-0330-7.
- Villaseñor J, Besse W, Benoist C, Mathis D. Ectopic expression of peripheral-tissue antigens in the thymic epithelium: Probabilistic, monoallelic, misinitiated. Proceedings Of The National Academy Of Sciences Of The United States Of America 2008, 105: 15854-15859. PMID: 18836079, PMCID: PMC2572966, DOI: 10.1073/pnas.0808069105.
- Butty V, Roy M, Sabeti P, Besse W, Benoist C, Mathis D. Signatures of strong population differentiation shape extended haplotypes across the human CD28, CTLA4, and ICOS costimulatory genes. Proceedings Of The National Academy Of Sciences Of The United States Of America 2007, 104: 570-575. PMID: 17197413, PMCID: PMC1766426, DOI: 10.1073/pnas.0610124104.
- Rodacki M, Svoren B, Butty V, Besse W, Laffel L, Benoist C, Mathis D. Altered Natural Killer Cells in Type 1 Diabetic Patients. Diabetes 2007, 56: 177-185. PMID: 17192480, DOI: 10.2337/db06-0493.
- Ohmura K, Johnsen A, Ortiz-Lopez A, Desany P, Roy M, Besse W, Rogus J, Bogue M, Puech A, Lathrop M, Mathis D, Benoist C. Variation in IL-1β gene expression is a major determinant of genetic differences in arthritis aggressivity in mice. Proceedings Of The National Academy Of Sciences Of The United States Of America 2005, 102: 12489-12494. PMID: 16113081, PMCID: PMC1194932, DOI: 10.1073/pnas.0504325102.
Departments and Programs
Titles
- Assistant Professor of Medicine (Nephrology)
Education & Training
- Postdoctoral Research FellowYale School of Medicine (2018)
- Clinical Fellow, Research TrackYale School of Medicine (2015)
- ResidentYale School of Medicine (2012)
- MDUniversity of Connecticut School of Medicine (2009)
- BS (Hon)Brown University, Biomedical Engineering (2003)
Additional Information
Honors & Recognitions
- Young Physician-Scientist Award: American Society for Clinical Investigation (2022)
- Clinical Scientist Development Award: Doris Duke Charitable Foundation (2021)
- Mentored Research Award: Robert E. Leet and Clara Guthrie Patterson Trust (2019)
- Polycystic Kidney Disease Research Award: Polycystic Kidney Disease Foundation (2018)
- Research Fellowship Award: Polycystic Kidney Disease Foundation (2015)
- Internal Medicine Department Award: University of Connecticut School of Medicine (2009)
- Excellence in Medical Education: University of Connecticut School of Medicine (2009)
- US Sailing Team: United States Sailing (2004)
- Student Excellence Award for Biomedical Engineering Class of 2003: Brown Univeristy (2003)
- All-American Sailing Team 2003: Intercolleagiate Sailing Association (2003)
Publications
- Roy S, Li Z, Guo Z, Long K, Rehrl S, Tian X, Dong K, Besse W. Dnajb11-Kidney Disease Develops from Reduced Polycystin-1 Dosage but not Unfolded Protein Response in Mice. Journal Of The American Society Of Nephrology 2023, 34: 1521-1534. PMID: 37332102, PMCID: PMC10482070, DOI: 10.1681/asn.0000000000000164.
- Besse W, Chang AR, Luo JZ, Triffo WJ, Moore BS, Gulati A, Hartzel DN, Mane S, Center R, Torres VE, Somlo S, Mirshahi T. ALG9 Mutation Carriers Develop Kidney and Liver Cysts. Journal Of The American Society Of Nephrology 2019, 30: 2091-2102. PMID: 31395617, PMCID: PMC6830805, DOI: 10.1681/asn.2019030298.
- Besse W, Dong K, Choi J, Punia S, Fedeles SV, Choi M, Gallagher AR, Huang EB, Gulati A, Knight J, Mane S, Tahvanainen E, Tahvanainen P, Sanna-Cherchi S, Lifton RP, Watnick T, Pei YP, Torres VE, Somlo S. Isolated polycystic liver disease genes define effectors of polycystin-1 function. Journal Of Clinical Investigation 2017, 127: 1772-1785. PMID: 28375157, PMCID: PMC5409105, DOI: 10.1172/jci90129.
- Besse W, Roosendaal C, Tuccillo L, Roy SG, Gallagher AR, Somlo S. Adult Inactivation of the Recessive Polycystic Kidney Disease Gene Causes Polycystic Liver Disease. Kidney360 2020, 1: 1068-1076. PMID: 33554127, PMCID: PMC7861569, DOI: 10.34067/kid.0002522020.
- Gall E, Olson RJ, Besse W, Heyer CM, Gainullin VG, Smith JM, Audrézet MP, Hopp K, Porath B, Shi B, Baheti S, Senum SR, Arroyo J, Madsen CD, Férec C, Joly D, Jouret F, Fikri-Benbrahim O, Charasse C, Coulibaly JM, Yu AS, Khalili K, Pei Y, Somlo S, Le Meur Y, Torres VE, Group G, Group T, Disease T, Harris PC. Monoallelic Mutations to DNAJB11 Cause Atypical Autosomal-Dominant Polycystic Kidney Disease. American Journal Of Human Genetics 2018, 102: 832-844. PMID: 29706351, PMCID: PMC5986722, DOI: 10.1016/j.ajhg.2018.03.013.
- Besse W, Choi J, Ahram D, Mane S, Sanna‐Cherchi S, Torres V, Somlo S. A noncoding variant in GANAB explains isolated polycystic liver disease (PCLD) in a large family. Human Mutation 2018, 39: 378-382. PMID: 29243290, PMCID: PMC5805583, DOI: 10.1002/humu.23383.
- Mizuno H, Besse W, Sekine A, Long K, Kurihara S, Oba Y, Yamanouchi M, Hasegawa E, Suwabe T, Sawa N, Ubara Y, Somlo S, Hoshino J. Genetic Analysis of Severe Polycystic Liver Disease in Japan. Kidney360 2024 PMID: 38689396, DOI: 10.34067/kid.0000000000000461.
- Schönauer R, Sierks D, Boerrigter M, Jawaid T, Caroff L, Audrezet M, Friedrich A, Shaw M, Degenhardt J, Forberger M, de Fallois J, Bläker H, Bergmann C, Gödiker J, Schindler P, Schlevogt B, Müller R, Berg T, Patterson I, Griffiths W, Sayer J, Consortium G, Ambrose J, Arumugam P, Bevers R, Bleda M, Boardman-Pretty F, Boustred C, Brittain H, Caulfield M, Chan G, Elgar G, Fowler T, Giess A, Hamblin A, Henderson S, Hubbard T, Jackson R, Jones L, Kasperaviciute D, Kayikci M, Kousathanas A, Lahnstein L, Leigh S, Leong I, Lopez J, Maleady-Crowe F, McEntagart M, Minneci F, Moutsianas L, Mueller M, Murugaesu N, Need A, O’Donovan P, Odhams C, Patch C, Pereira M, Perez-Gil D, Pullinger J, Rahim T, Rendon A, Rogers T, Savage K, Sawant K, Scott R, Siddiq A, Sieghart A, Smith S, Sosinsky A, Stuckey A, Tanguy M, Tavares A, Thomas E, Thompson S, Tucci A, Welland M, Williams E, Witkowska K, Wood S, Popp B, Torres V, Hogan M, Somlo S, Watnick T, Nevens F, Besse W, Gall E, Harris P, Drenth J, Halbritter J. Sex, Genotype, and Liver Volume Progression as Risk of Hospitalization Determinants in Autosomal Dominant Polycystic Liver Disease. Gastroenterology 2023, 166: 902-914. PMID: 38101549, DOI: 10.1053/j.gastro.2023.12.007.
- Sierks D, Schönauer R, Boerrigter M, Jawaid T, Audrezet M, Caroff L, Degenhardt J, de Fallois J, Schlevogt B, Berg T, Nevens F, Watnick T, Sayer J, Besse W, Gall E, Harris P, Drenth J, Halbritter J. Combined Consideration of Sex, Genotype, and Total Liver Volume Progression Determines the Risk of Hospitalization in an International Multicenter Cohort of Autosomal Dominant Polycystic Liver Disease. Journal Of The American Society Of Nephrology 2023, 34: 934-935. DOI: 10.1681/asn.20233411s1934c.
- Hanna C, Iliuta I, Besse W, Mekahli D, Chebib F. Cystic Kidney Diseases in Children and Adults: Differences and Gaps in Clinical Management. Seminars In Nephrology 2023, 43: 151434. PMID: 37996359, DOI: 10.1016/j.semnephrol.2023.151434.
- Boulogne F, Claus L, Wiersma H, Oelen R, Schukking F, de Klein N, Li S, Westra H, van der Zwaag B, van Reekum F, Sierks D, Schönauer R, Li Z, Bijlsma E, Bos W, Halbritter J, Knoers N, Besse W, Deelen P, Franke L, van Eerde A. KidneyNetwork: using kidney-derived gene expression data to predict and prioritize novel genes involved in kidney disease. European Journal Of Human Genetics 2023, 31: 1300-1308. PMID: 36807342, PMCID: PMC10620423, DOI: 10.1038/s41431-023-01296-x.
- Khamirani H, Palicharla VR, Dastgheib SA, Dianatpour M, Imanieh MH, Tabei SS, Besse W, Mukhopadhyay S, Liem KF. A pathogenic variant of TULP3 causes renal and hepatic fibrocystic disease. Frontiers In Genetics 2022, 13: 1021037. PMID: 36276950, PMCID: PMC9585244, DOI: 10.3389/fgene.2022.1021037.
- Aron AW, Dahl NK, Besse W. A Practical Guide to Genetic Testing for Kidney Disorders of Unknown Etiology. Kidney360 2022, 3: 1640-1651. PMID: 36245662, PMCID: PMC9528385, DOI: 10.34067/kid.0007552021.
- Mirza H, Besse W, Somlo S, Weinreb J, Kenney B, Jain D. An update on ductal plate malformations and fibropolycystic diseases of the liver. Human Pathology 2022, 132: 102-113. PMID: 35777701, DOI: 10.1016/j.humpath.2022.06.022.
- Wolf M, Besse W, Bleyer A, Dahl N. Genetic Diseases Associated with Tubulointerstitial Nephritis. 2022, 139-160. DOI: 10.1007/978-3-030-93438-5_11.
- Besse W. Genetic Analysis in Kidney Disease: Advancing Clinical Diagnosis and Research Discovery. Kidney360 2020, 1: 720-723. PMID: 34327334, PMCID: PMC8317592, DOI: 10.34067/kid.0003632020.
- Wilson EM, Choi J, Torres VE, Somlo S, Besse W. Large Deletions in GANAB and SEC63 Explain 2 Cases of Polycystic Kidney and Liver Disease. Kidney International Reports 2020, 5: 727-731. PMID: 32405593, PMCID: PMC7210741, DOI: 10.1016/j.ekir.2020.01.009.
- Gulati A, Sevillano AM, Praga M, Gutierrez E, Alba I, Dahl NK, Besse W, Choi J, Somlo S. Collagen IV Gene Mutations in Adults With Bilateral Renal Cysts and CKD. Kidney International Reports 2019, 5: 103-108. PMID: 31922066, PMCID: PMC6943786, DOI: 10.1016/j.ekir.2019.09.004.
- Besse W, Mansour S, Jatwani K, Nast CC, Brewster UC. Collapsing glomerulopathy in a young woman with APOL1 risk alleles following acute parvovirus B19 infection: a case report investigation. BMC Nephrology 2016, 17: 125. PMID: 27600725, PMCID: PMC5013576, DOI: 10.1186/s12882-016-0330-7.
- Villaseñor J, Besse W, Benoist C, Mathis D. Ectopic expression of peripheral-tissue antigens in the thymic epithelium: Probabilistic, monoallelic, misinitiated. Proceedings Of The National Academy Of Sciences Of The United States Of America 2008, 105: 15854-15859. PMID: 18836079, PMCID: PMC2572966, DOI: 10.1073/pnas.0808069105.
- Butty V, Roy M, Sabeti P, Besse W, Benoist C, Mathis D. Signatures of strong population differentiation shape extended haplotypes across the human CD28, CTLA4, and ICOS costimulatory genes. Proceedings Of The National Academy Of Sciences Of The United States Of America 2007, 104: 570-575. PMID: 17197413, PMCID: PMC1766426, DOI: 10.1073/pnas.0610124104.
- Rodacki M, Svoren B, Butty V, Besse W, Laffel L, Benoist C, Mathis D. Altered Natural Killer Cells in Type 1 Diabetic Patients. Diabetes 2007, 56: 177-185. PMID: 17192480, DOI: 10.2337/db06-0493.
- Ohmura K, Johnsen A, Ortiz-Lopez A, Desany P, Roy M, Besse W, Rogus J, Bogue M, Puech A, Lathrop M, Mathis D, Benoist C. Variation in IL-1β gene expression is a major determinant of genetic differences in arthritis aggressivity in mice. Proceedings Of The National Academy Of Sciences Of The United States Of America 2005, 102: 12489-12494. PMID: 16113081, PMCID: PMC1194932, DOI: 10.1073/pnas.0504325102.
Departments and Programs