Rheumatology and Immunology

The Division of Rheumatology & Immunology at the Vanderbilt University Medical Center is committed to teaching, research and clinical care in the areas of autoimmune disease and musculoskeletal disease.

Our faculty consists of leading researchers, clinicians and instructors working together to accomplish the goals of the Medical Center.  We offer comprehensive clinical care for those with rheumatic and autoimmune diseases that can affect the joints, muscles, and bones causing pain, swelling, stiffness, and deformity.

Besides an active clinical program, division faculty also have active research programs to solve basic problems in immunology and cell biology related to autoimmune and inflammatory diseases, and to solve clinical questions which may impact healthcare in the future.    

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Division News Spotlight

Three-decade Review Clarifies Pregnancy Risks in Lupus

Small sample sizes have limited the scope of research on treatment and outcomes in women with lupus, but at Vanderbilt University Medical Center, rheumatologist April Barnado, M.D., and her team are working to change that.

Read more >>

Boothby Lab Beta-cell Review - Open Access Availability

A recent publication in the journal of Cellular  & Molecular Immunology from the Boothby lab is now available via Springer's open access! Read it here!

C. Michael Stein Among the Six from VUMC Identified as the Most Cited Researchers

Six current faculty members at Vanderbilt University Medical Center have made this year’s list of scientists whose papers have been cited most frequently by other researchers. Dr. Stein has made this prestigious list for the past 3 consecutive years. Congratulations!

Portrait Unveiling 

Dr. Sergent was recognized for his contributions to the educational mission of the School of Medicine with the unveiling of his own portrait. Congratulations!

All-Cause and Cause-Specific Mortality in Psoriatic Arthritis and Ankylosing Spondylitis: A Systematic Review and Meta-Analysis

Dr. Paras Karmacharya and colleagues recently published a systematic review of mortality in psoriatic arthritis and ankylosing spondylitis in Arthritis Care and Research. The publication is available here. 

VUMC Team of Physicians Lead Efforts to Help Patients with Undiagnosed Diseases

Rheumatology's Dr. Kevin Byram is involved in a NIH-funded initiative at VUMC called the "Vanderbilt Center for Undiagnosed Diseases." Read about the success of the program here. 

Check out the abstracts submitted by our faculty that were accepted as posters and oral presentations at the 2021 American College of Rheumatology conference. 

ACR Abstracts >>

Dr. John Sergent recognized for contributions to diversity at inclusion

Marie Griffin, MD, MPH, and John Sergent, MD, were recognized for their contributions to diversity and inclusion during a portrait unveiling ceremony in Langford Auditorium on Aug. 16, sponsored by the Office of Diversity Affairs.

Read more >>
 

Drug response variability showcases opportunities for precision medicine

A team of researchers, led by Cecilia Chung, M.D., an associate professor in the Division of Rheumatology at Vanderbilt University Medical Center, published a review in Clinical Rheumatology using azathioprine as a high-stakes example of how pharmacogenetics can help rheumatologists prescribe wisely and the potential of developing risk scores. This notion was developed in another recent manuscript.

Read more >>

Welcome to our newest faculty member, Dr. Jason Springer! Jason Springer, MD, MS, has joined Vanderbilt University Medical Center as associate professor of Medicine in the Division of Rheumatology and Immunology in the Department of Medicine. Springer is co-director of the Vanderbilt Vasculitis Center, where he will oversee vasculitis clinical trials. He began seeing patients on Oct. 1.

Read more about Dr. Springer >>

Congratulations to Dr. Crofford for recognition on receiving the Castle Connolly America's Top Doctor award for 20 years running. 

Dr. Christman awarding Dr. Birchmore the Mark Wolcott Award for Clinical Excellence. Congrats!

Erin Wilfong giving a CTD-ILD lecture at the Tennessee Rheumatology Society Annual Meeting in January.

Vanderbilt Rheumatology faculty attended the annual American College of Rheumatology conference in Chicago. 

Click here to see more photos from the event >>

To the Rheumatology Division Fund

Your contribution will support research, education, and training in Rheumatology and Immunology.