Who We Are

Sali Aswad, M.D., founder and President of NICR, is a French double-board certified physician, specializing in Internal Medicine, as well as Nephrology, with over 25 years of experience in treating patients with kidney diseases with transplantation needs. He served on the USC faculty as an Associate Professor in the Department of Urology & Medicine and has authored or co-authored over 100 articles published in well-respected, peer-reviewed journals.

Linda joined NICR as Chief Executive Officer in 2025 after more than a decade of shaping
the organization as Vice President of Operations. As CEO, Linda is focused on building
strong, collaborative teams and sustainable clinical operations that elevate the role
of principal investigators, expand and diversify patient populations, and foster meaningful
participant engagement—while maintaining a steadfast commitment to excellence, integrity,
and innovation in clinical research for our sponsors.

Dr. Tariq Shah, NICR Medical Director, is a UCLA-trained nephrologist in Los Angeles. He directed transplant programs at St. Vincent Medical Center and RCH, serves as the transplant provider for Southern California IKC, and sits on CMMI advisory panels. A Professor at Western University of Health Sciences with extensive publications, Dr. Shah specializes in acute and chronic kidney disease, focusing on complex cases and personalized care.