Zalman S. Agus, M.D.

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Zalman S. Agus, former Professor of Medicine and Physiology, and Associate Dean of the Perelman School of Medicine at the University of Pennsylvania died on May 7 after a short battle with cancer.  He was a world-renowned nephrologist and former Chief of the Renal-Electrolyte Section at Penn.

He was a graduate of the Johns Hopkins University and later attended medical school at the University of Maryland, after he was denied admission to Johns Hopkins due to a quota on Jewish students.  He completed his residency at the University of Maryland and a nephrology fellowship at the University of Pennsylvania.  He is the son of renowned rabbi and theologian Rabbi Jacob B. Agus and Miriam S. Agus.

Dr. Agus has served the American Society of Nephrology as Vice Chair of the Program Committee, Chair of the Nephrology Training Program Directors’ Executive Committee, and Chair of the Informatics Committee. He has served on the Executive Committee of the National Medical Advisory Board and the Board of Directors for the National Kidney Foundation. He is a past Chair of the Council on Kidney in Cardiovascular Disease of the American Heart Association, was elected to membership in the American Society for Clinical Investigation and was a fellow in the American College of Physicians. He served as a Major in the Air Force at Lackland Air Force Base in San Antonio, Texas in the early 1970s.

Dr. Agus authored and edited over 120 publications and is internationally recognized for his expertise in the physiology and pathophysiology of calcium, phosphate, and magnesium transport.

Along with Sondra, his loving wife and life partner of almost 62 years, they raised their family in Cherry Hill, New Jersey, except for a 2-year stint in San Antonio. Together, they helped found a Jewish day school in San Antonio, and in Cherry Hill, they helped steward and grow the Kellman Academy day school, where Zalman served as Chair of the Board. They moved several years ago, along with his service dog Doc, to the Boston area to be near two of their sons and their families. He is survived by Sondra, sons David (physician and CBS News contributor, Santa Monica, CA), Joel (attorney/financial planner, MA) and Michael, (physician, Newton, MA), as well as daughters-in-law Amy Povich Agus, Beth Agus, and Elisa Deener-Agus, nine grandchildren Eytan, Sydney, Noah, Eli, Miles, Kayla, Kobe, Sammy, Marley, and two sisters Edna and Deborah. He was predeceased by his brother Robert.

Funeral services will be held on Friday, May 9, 2025, at 1:00 pm EDT at Walnut Street Minyan, 858 Walnut St, Newton, MA. For those who are unable to attend in person, it will be livestreamed at https://www.walnutstreetminyan.org/live-events.html.

Interment will follow at Independent Pride Cemetery, 776 Baker Street, West Roxbury, MA.

Shiva minyanim will be at the homes of Zal’s sons in Newton, Sharon, and Los Angeles. Shacharit at 8:00 am Sunday through Thursday (Newton). Mincha at 7:00 pm, followed by Maariv 8:00 pm Sunday, Monday, and Wednesday (Newton), and Tuesday (Sharon).

Contributions in memory of Zalman Agus z”l may be made to America’s Vet Dogs.