June 19, 2025
Trainee passionate about human side of clinical research
Victoria Riehl-Tonn began her nursing degree envisioning a lifelong career at the bedside. But unexpected experiences in research during her studies opened the door to a new professional path鈥攐ne she hadn鈥檛 originally planned for.
鈥淲hile working as a research assistant in nephrology, I fell in love with research鈥攕pecifically clinical research,鈥 she says. 鈥淚 wanted to have the experience of doing a research project of my own from start to finish.鈥
Through this work, Riehl-Tonn spent many hours with kidney patients undergoing dialysis, conducting research and forming personal connections.
鈥淚 administered patient outcome measures and listened to their life stories,鈥 she says. 鈥淚t was incredibly motivating.鈥
Those connections, along with her growing passion for research, inspired her to pursue graduate studies under the mentorship of Dr. Sofia Ahmed, a renowned clinician, kidney researcher and principal member of the Libin Cardiovascular Institute.
Riehl-Tonn hasn鈥檛 looked back and recently defended her PhD thesis in medical science.
鈥淚 thought I鈥檇 be a bedside nurse, but I鈥檝e spent the past five years doing clinical research, and it鈥檚 been incredibly fulfilling,鈥 she says.
Riehl-Tonn is especially passionate about the human side of clinical research, where she works directly with study participants.
鈥淚 love that I get to engage with real people,鈥 she says. 鈥淚t鈥檚 deeply rewarding to feel like I鈥檓 asking meaningful questions that not only advance science but also have the potential to improve lives.鈥
Riehl-Tonn鈥檚 research focuses on the impacts of sex and gender differences on patient outcomes for individuals with chronic kidney disease (CKD).
It鈥檚 an understudied, but important, area of research.
鈥淐urrently, there鈥檚 a one-size-fits approach to kidney care,鈥 says Riehl-Tonn. 鈥淗aving a better understanding of how sex and gender impact patients will provide a more personalized approach to care.鈥
Individuals living with CKD often experience a range of symptoms鈥攕uch as fatigue, muscle cramps, itchiness, and swelling鈥攖hat significantly impact their quality of life. They are also at a heightened risk of developing cardiovascular conditions and mortality.
Research has shown that CKD affects females and males differently. While CKD is more prevalent among females, males are more likely to initiate kidney dialysis. Gender-based differences also appear to influence health outcomes, although the reasons behind these disparities remain unclear.
In one of her studies, Victoria Riehl-Tonn found that females reported an improved physical health with more frequent hemodialysis, while females that had roles and responsibilities traditionally ascribed to women in a Westernized society reported better mental health when receiving dialysis twice a week instead of three times.
However, she notes there is still much to learn.
鈥淲e don鈥檛 fully understand why sex and gender plays such a significant role in how patients experience and respond to kidney disease and kidney replacement therapy,鈥 she says.
Riehl-Tonn recently received a Canadian Institutes of Health Research Institute of Gender and Health travel award to attend the Organization for the Study of Sex Differences Conference in New Mexico鈥攁n opportunity that will further inform her research.
She plans to pursue a postdoctoral fellowship, with the long-term goal of building a research career in kidney science with a focus on sex and gender considerations. Ultimately, she hopes to improve quality of life for individuals living with and navigating complex chronic conditions like CKD.