Cedars-Sinai Experts Share Rheumatology Research at Top Meeting

Cedars-Sinai physicians and scientists from the Kao Autoimmunity Institute will be among the estimated 14,000 rheumatology experts attending ACR Convergence 2025 . The premier scientific meeting of the American College of Rheumatology (ACR) will be held Oct. 24-29 in Chicago.

Cedars-Sinai investigators will moderate panel discussions and share research on the diagnosis, treatment and prevention of rheumatologic disease. An estimated 60 million adults in the U.S. are impacted by these disorders that affect joints, muscles, tendons, ligaments, and bones, as well as other organs including eyes, heart, lungs, skin, and blood vessels.

Rheumatology and autoimmunity experts from Cedars-Sinai will be available for media interviews during and after the conference. They can discuss rheumatoid arthritis, lupus, scleroderma, autoimmunity, the aging immune system, chronic pain management and Sjögren's disease.

Rheumatology and Autoimmunity Experts

Francesco Boin, MD , director of the Division of Rheumatology and the Kao Multispecialty Scleroderma Program at Cedars-Sinai, co-authored research identifying genetic variants that may help explain why African Americans experience a more severe form of systemic sclerosis, also known as scleroderma. He can also discuss mechanisms contributing to blood vessel damage and dysfunction in scleroderma.

Nunzio Bottini, MD, PhD , a rheumatologist and director of the Kao Autoimmunity Institute can discuss the center's new research on the role of phosphatases in promoting fibrosis in scleroderma, a newly identified way that joint-lining cells contribute to rheumatoid arthritis and the role of immune cells in lung fibrosis in rheumatoid arthritis. He will also moderate a panel on lung fibrosis in autoimmune diseases.

Mariko Ishimori, MD , a rheumatologist and associate director of the Clinical and Translational Research Center is available to discuss new findings on lupus nephritis. The study pinpoints complex immune and tissue changes that drive kidney inflammation in some people with lupus.

Jon Giles, MD, MPH , an expert in rheumatoid arthritis and director of the Inflammatory Arthritis Clinical Center is available to discuss a study showing that pulmonary hypertension is more common and serious in rheumatoid arthritis patients who also have interstitial lung disease. Earlier screening and better management could help reduce illness and death related to this complication, according to the findings.

Caroline Jefferies, PhD , a professor of Medicine and Biomedical Sciences at Cedars-Sinai, can share new genetic research on COPA syndrome-a rare inherited disorder causing severe lung disease beginning in childhood. During the conference, she will also be moderating two panels: one on chronic pain associated with rheumatic disease and another on immune responses related to inflammation and aging.

Daniel Wallace, MD , an expert in systemic lupus erythematosus and a professor of Medicine can discuss a multicenter study that linked socioeconomic vulnerability to inflammatory changes and increased risk for developing lupus.

Richard Ainsworth, PhD , a research scientist in Medicine and Computational Biomedicine, will present the results of a multicenter investigation of how the body's innate immune system may contribute to the development and progression of lung scarring in systemic sclerosis.

Media Contact

To arrange interviews, contact Laura Coverson at 310-562-1112 or [email protected] .