ARTHRITIS NATIONAL RESEARCH FOUNDATION - Key Persons
Job Titles:
- Professor of Internal Medicine / Chair of Arthritis
Anne-Marie Malfait, MD PhD, is Professor of Internal Medicine and The George W. Stuppy, MD, Chair of Arthritis at Rush University in Chicago IL. Anne-Marie received her MD degree in 1989 and her PhD in 1994, both from Ghent University in Belgium. Her early research training focused on cartilage metabolism in osteoarthritis.
Job Titles:
- Chairman in Immunology and Inflammation Research
While at Rockefeller University, Dr. Crow was among the first to characterize and study the functional properties of human dendritic cells. At the Hospital for Special Surgery, Dr. Crow has performed cutting-edge studies of the autoimmune disorders, rheumatoid arthritis and lupus. Dr. Crow's most recent work has defined the role of interferon-alpha in lupus. She continues to investigate the underlying triggers and mediators of autoimmunity in lupus and rheumatoid arthritis.
Job Titles:
- Professor & Head, Center for Autoimmune and Musculoskeletal Diseases
Betty Diamond, MD has headed the rheumatology divisions at Albert Einstein School of Medicine and at Columbia University Medical Center. She also directed the Medical Scientist Training Program at Albert Einstein School of Medicine for many years. She is currently head of the Center for Autoimmune and Musculoskeletal Diseases at The Feinstein Institute for Medical Research and director of the PhD and MD/PhD programs at the Hofstra Northwell School of Medicine. Her MD is from …
Bevra Hahn, M.D. Professor of Medicine Chief, Division of Rheumatology UCLA School of Medicine - Los Angeles, CA A world-renowned researcher and lecturer who has collected numerous honors and awards, Dr. Hahn has emphasized a continuing theme of her research work - identification of immune abnormalities characteristic of Systemic Lupus Erythematosus (SLE or lupus)… Read more about ANRF Scientific Advisory Board Member Bevra Hahn, M.D.
Job Titles:
- Chairman, Scientific Advisory Board
- Chairman, Scientific Advisory Board Director, Infectious and Inflammatory Diseases Center / Professor, Laboratory of Molecular Immunology
- Chairman, Scientific Advisory Board Director, Laboratory of Molecular Immunology / Professor & Director, Infectious and Inflammatory Diseases Center
- Director of the Infectious and Inflammatory Disease Center at the SBP Medical Discovery Institute
- Member and Head of the Division of Molecular Immunology
- Professor & Director, Infectious and Inflammatory Diseases Center Director, Laboratory of Molecular Immunology
Dr. Carl Ware is the Director of the Infectious and Inflammatory Disease Center at the SBP Medical Discovery Institute (www.SBPDiscovery.org), located in La Jolla, CA. He leads a large multi-disciplinary group of scientists applying their skills in structural biology, bioinformatics, immunology, virology and microbiology to understand autoimmune diseases and develop novel therapies. He received his Ph.D. in 1979 from the University of California, Irvine, and conducted his postdoctoral work at the University of Texas and the Dana-Farber Cancer Institute, Harvard Medical School in Boston. He established his research laboratory in 1981 as an Assistant Professor of Immunology at the University of California, Riverside, advancing to full professor and in 1996 moved to the La Jolla Institute for Allergy and Immunology where he led the Division of Molecular Immunology.
Why Carl F. Ware, Ph.D. is involved in ANRF:
Possibilities and challenges are what this researcher, who currently has two important discoveries at various stages of the drug development process, seems to be all about. Dr. Ware hopes that his discoveries will help the 30 to 40 percent of rheumatoid arthritis and Crohn's sufferers who don't respond well or at all to the existing TNF based therapies …
Job Titles:
- Executive Assistant
- Executive Assistant at ANRF
Charlotte is the Executive Assistant at ANRF. Originally from Virginia, she obtained her Bachelor's in Biology from Old Dominion University. After moving to California in 2014, Charlotte completed her Master's in Forensic Sciences. She was particularly drawn to ANRF, having several family members affected by arthritis as well as having volunteered with children with juvenile arthritis during college. With a background in science and a passion for helping others, she believes strongly in the importance of continuing research towards better treatments and finding the cure. In her spare time, Charlotte loves to bake desserts, hike with her dog Indiana Bones, travel and be outdoors.
Dr. Grimaldi's study focuses on systemic lupus erythematosus (SLE), an autoimmune disease caused by the production of autoantibodies that mediate tissue damage in target organs, such as the kidney. The autoreactive B cells that secrete autoantibodies are generated in healthy individuals; however, they do not cause disease because the healthy immune system is able to regulate these cells. Dr. Grimaldi will study how the autoreactive B cells of SLE patients bypass the surveillance mechanisms of the immune system.
Since SLE affects females almost 10 times more frequently than males, it has been widely speculated that estrogen plays a role in disease progression. To learn more about the effects of estrogen in SLE patients, Dr. Grimaldi has been treating mice with estrogen. The data accumulated have shown that an increase in estrogen induces a lupus-like disease in mice, indicating that elevations of estrogen levels are sufficient to alter the regulation of autoreactive B cells. Her ANRF study will focus on estrogen receptors, trying to determine the effects of different receptors on the survival and activation of autoreactive B cells. This may have important clinical applications: selective estrogen receptor modulators could be developed to counteract the estrogen receptor identified as integral for progression of SLE.
Job Titles:
- Oklahoma Medical Research Foundation / Oklahoma City, Oklahoma
Job Titles:
- Member of the Board
- Chairman, ANRF Scientific Advisory Board / Professor, Molecular Biology and Biochemistry
- Chairman, Scientific Advisory Board / Professor, Molecular Biology and Biochemistry
- Expert in Immunology
Dr. Walsh is an expert in Immunology and his research focuses on the role apoptotic signal transduction plays in the development, activation and homeostasis of the immune system. His lab's current interests include the study of death-receptors and the regulation of T cell activation. These studies are conducted in mice focusing on the mechanisms that prevent self-recognition in the immune system. This work is of high significance to understanding of immunological tolerance, the means by which the adaptive immune system avoids self-recognition and autoimmune disorders.
Why Debbie Sampson is involved in ANRF:
"We all know someone who suffers from some form of arthritis or auto immune disease. It affects millions of people and the hope of a cure is through research. I'm a firm believer in the fact that the young minds are the key to the future success of finding a cure and at ANRF we look for the best research from young scientists to fund. I'm proud to be a part of this."
Job Titles:
- Vice Chair, ANRF Board of Directors
Dr. Elizabeth Mellins brings broad expertise in immunology and autoimmunity to the Scientific Advisory Board. Clinically trained as a pediatric rheumatologist, Dr. Mellins has devoted her career to research on autoimmune forms of arthritis, and particularly on the role of MHC class II molecules as inherited risk factors for autoimmune disease.
She earned her M.D. from Harvard Medical School in 1973 and has been at Stanford University since 1996. Dr. Mellins was an ANRF grant recipient in 1998.
Dr. Mellins has mentored over 20 doctor trainees in her laboratory and most continue to be involved in research related to immunobiology and rheumatic diseases. She was a founder of the Childhood Arthritis & Rheumatology Research Alliance (CARRA) and was its first chairperson. CARRA is a North American organization of more than 400 pediatric rheumatologists, researchers and research coordinators who are working together to find treatments for juvenile arthritis and other diseases of the joints, muscles, and bones in children.
Job Titles:
- Physician - in - Chief and Chair, Department of Medicine
- Professor of Medicine at Weill Medical College of Cornell University
Mary K. Crow, M.D. Physician-in-Chief and Chair, Department of Medicine Benjamin M. Rosen Chair in Immunology and Inflammation Research Hospital for Special Surgery, New York, NY Chief, Division of Rheumatology Weill Cornell Medical College One of the first researchers to study the functional properties of human dendritic cells and how their altered state plays a key role in autoimmune diseases like lupus, Dr. Crow continues to investigate the underlying triggers and mediators of autoimmunity in lupus and rheumatoid arthritis… Read more about ANRF Scientific Advisory Board Member Mary K. Crow, M.D.
Dr. Mary K. Crow is Professor of Medicine at Weill Medical College of Cornell University and Benjamin M. Rosen Chair in Autoimmunity and Inflammation Research, Senior Scientist, and Director of Rheumatology Research at Hospital for Special Surgery in New York City. Dr. Crow is also Co-Director of the Mary Kirkland Center for Lupus Research. Dr. Crow received her M.D. at Cornell, Internal Medicine and Rheumatology subspecialty training at New York Hospital, and post-doctoral research training at Rockefeller University.
Dr. Crow has been active in leadership roles in professional organizations and foundations. Most recently she was President of the American College of Rheumatology from 2005-2006.
Job Titles:
- Expert
- Professor of Medicine, Immunology and Rheumatology / Stanford University
Dr. Paul J. Utz is an expert in the study of human and murine autoantibodies and autoantigens, apoptosis signaling pathways, animal models of autoimmunity, proteomics and multiplexed assay development for biomarker discovery.
Dr. Peter Nigrovic is a pediatric and adult rheumatologist whose research focuses on understanding mechanisms of inflammatory arthritis and lupus, using both human samples and mouse models. These studies have helped to illuminate the roles played by mast cells, neutrophils and platelets, among other cell types. In studies supported by ANRF, his group has identified a new pathway by which entry of neutrophils could potentially be targeted to treat inflammatory arthritis, and is pursuing the role of sugars (glycans) attached to antibodies that alter their ability to engage the immune system. He is Chief of the Division of Immunology at Boston Children's Hospital and maintains biorepositories of arthritis samples at Boston Children's Hospital and the Brigham and Women's Hospital. Dr. Nigrovic earned his M.D. at Harvard Medical School in 1995 and his research was funded by grants from the ANRF to Dr. Nigrovic and affiliated researchers since 2009.
He serves on the editorial board of Arthritis & Rheumatology and in the leadership of the US/Canadian pediatric research collaborative CARRA (the Childhood Arthritis and Rheumatology Research Alliance). He is an award-winning mentor for junior scientists and was founding co-chair of AMIGO, the American College of Rheumatology's inter-institutional mentoring program in pediatric rheumatology. Dr. Nigrovic has a particular interest in systemic juvenile idiopathic arthritis and on the lifelong care of arthritis beginning in childhood.
Job Titles:
- Chief Scientific Office, Salimetrics LLC
- Chief Scientific Officer at Salimetrics
- Chief Scientific Officer, Salimetrics LLC
Dr. Steve Granger is Chief Scientific Officer at Salimetrics, LLC. He earned his Ph.D. in Molecular Biology and Biochemistry at the University of California, Irvine, followed by post-doctoral training at the La Jolla Institute for Allergy & Immunology, where his research efforts focused on the immunobiology of the tumor necrosis family (TNF) superfamily. Dr. Granger spent many years in the biotechnology industry working at Tanabe Research Laboratories USA, Inc. as a Senior Director of research and at Kyowa Hakko Kirin California as a Senior Research Scientist. During this time, he managed preclinical biologic drug development programs for the treatment of autoimmune and chronic inflammatory disorders. Additionally, he led several drug discovery projects for the treatment of osteo- and rheumatoid arthritis, as well as inflammatory bowel disease. One fully human monoclonal antibody identified from these studies is in clinical trials for chronic inflammatory diseases. Dr. Granger is currently leading the R&D team at Salimetrics, LLC. generating new oral fluid diagnostic assays.
Emily Boyd Stormoen has more than 20 years of progressive experience working in the nonprofit sector as a senior executive leader, focusing on business development, strategic planning and revenue generation.
She previously served as Chief Revenue Officer for the National Psoriasis Foundation (NPF) for six years where under her leadership, the portfolio hit new revenue highs and new records for number of gifts booked for the Foundation. At the NPF, she created a medical education program certifying it as ACCME accredited with commendation. In this role, she was responsible for providing vision, leadership and overall management of the organization's revenue-producing initiatives. Emily oversaw all activities related to cultivation, solicitation and stewardship of financial support from individuals, organizations, industry partners, foundations and transactional relationships.
Originally hired as NPF's Vice President of Strategic Alliances and Medical Affairs and Director of Medical Programs, part of her responsibilities included staff lead to the Medical Board.
Prior to joining the NPF, Emily oversaw medical education and program development for the Oregon Medical Association. While there, she developed courses focusing on healthcare reform, risk management and physician wellness. Currently, Emily is a member of the National Health Council (NHC) serves on its Chief Development Officer Affinity Committee. She has a B.A. in Sociology from UCLA.
Dr. Eng M. Tan is recognized in the world's scientific community as a top researcher in his field of molecular medicine, earning countless awards, honors and designations. His significant contributions have led to a better understanding of lupus and related autoimmune diseases.
To honor Dr. Tan's contribution to arthritis and autoimmune disease research, the Arthritis National Research Foundation has named a grant in his name, the Eng Tan Scholar.
Job Titles:
- Emeritus
- Professor of Immunology, Retired / University of California, Irvine
Why Gale A. Granger is involved in ANRF:
Early in his career as a researcher at the University of California, Irvine, Dr. Granger received funding from ANRF to study the immunological processes occurring in the tissue destruction observed in Rheumatoid Arthritis. His subsequent findings changed the world's treatments in many related fields…
Job Titles:
- Senior Research Scientist / Department of Microbiology and Immunology / Stanford University
Dr. Sonderstrup-McDevitt is a speaker in high demand, having been invited to universities and conferences all over the world to discuss her research work in rheumatoid arthritis. ANRF provided funding for Dr. Sonderstrup's work in 1993…
Job Titles:
- Associate Professor of Pediatrics and Medicine / University of California
- Associate Professor of Pediatrics and Medicine at the University of California
- Professor of Pediatrics and Medicine / University of California
Dr. Hoffman's main research interests are genetics and inflammation. His work has focused on the study of one of these diseases, familial cold autoinflammatory syndrome, an inherited condition characterized by recurrent episodes of rash, fever, and joint pain following exposure to cold…
Hal M. Hoffman, M.D., is Associate Professor of Pediatrics and Medicine at the University of California, San Diego. Dr. Hoffman earned his M.D. degree from the University of Texas Medical Branch in 1990, continuing his residency in pediatrics at the Medical University of South Carolina and fellowship in allergy and immunology at the University of California, San Diego.
Job Titles:
- Mayor of Irvine - 1990 - 92 / City of Irvine City Council
- Secretary, ANRF Board of Directors / Mayor of Irvine - 1990 - 92, City of Irvine City Council - 1984 - 92
Sally Anne Sheridan is involved in ANRF:
As a former nurse, Mrs. Sheridan has a special passion for the work of the Arthritis National Research Foundation (ANRF). "By funding young researchers with cutting-edge ideas, ANRF is putting money to work in the most effective way to find a cure for these debilitating joint diseases," she said.
Job Titles:
- Professor of Microbiology and Immunology / Emeritus - Active
Dr. McDevitt is known world-wide for his contributions to the field of arthritis research. At Stanford University, Dr. McDevitt has been the head of the Immunology Department, the director of the Clinical Immunology Lab, and Chairman of the Department of Microbiology and Immunology…
Job Titles:
- Physician
- Associate Professor of Internal Medicine, Division of Rheumatology / University of Michigan
Dr. Kahlenberg is a physician scientist and Associate Professor at the University of Michigan. She completed her MD, PhD, and Internal Medicine training at Case Western Reserve University and completed her fellowship in Rheumatology at the University of Michigan.
Jeffrey Bates has been practicing health care law for almost forty years. His primary focus has been on Medicare and Medi-Cal reimbursement issues, including audits and appeals of audit determinations, compliance, fraud and abuse, and licensing and certification of health care providers. He practiced in big law firms in Washington, D.C. and Los Angeles, and as an in-house attorney for a long-term care provider in Pasadena, California and Ft. Smith, Arkansas. Since he retired from full-time practice in 2013, he has been working part time as a solo practitioner out of his home office in Santa Monica, California.
Job Titles:
- Director of Marketing & Communications
Approaching her role with a focus on integrated marketing and communications, Jenn works across the organization to ensure consistency in the way ANRF looks to its audience and the way it sounds. In her role, she is responsible for managing and building ANRF's brand visually and through communicating its story to a variety of audiences and communications channels.
During the first part of her career, Jenn worked in sports and corporate communications at the Portland Trail Blazers, Nike, Inc. and the Professional Bowlers Association, honing her skills in media relations and building and leveraging relationships to build brands and personalities. She then pivoted to higher education when she led the communications at the University of Oregon (UO) Alumni Association during a time of growth and helping launch the campaign for the Ford Alumni Center. She briefly left higher education but returned to lead the marketing and communication at the College of Business at Oregon State University (OSU) where she was part of the development team that raised $100 million for the college during the Campaign for OSU.
The most rewarding part of Jenn's career includes working with undergraduate students in her roles at OSU and UO, most significantly during her time as a graduate student at UO. Jenn continues to spend time working with students and currently serves as the Board Chair for the Emerald Media Group (the student media organization for the UO). She enjoys spending time with family and friends, and traveling, hiking, running and discovering new trails, especially those leading to sunrises and sunsets. In addition, she loves sports, especially college, because of the stories and humans behind the athletes and ultimately the ability sports have to change lives. She earned undergraduate and graduate degrees from the University of Oregon.
Job Titles:
- Head of the Division of Research Rheumatology
- Professor / Head, Research Rheumatology
Dr. Buxbaum is head of the division of Research Rheumatology and the W. M. Keck Autoimmune Disease Center at The Scripps Research Institute in La Jolla, California. His research work has spanned nearly 40 years…
Job Titles:
- Treasurer, ANRF Board of Directors
As the Director of Development, Karen Williamson is focused on working with donors to pair their philanthropic goals with ANRF's giving opportunities through developing relationships and sharing the mission of the organization.
Joining the ANRF team was not only a career decision, but also a personal one for Karen as her parents and sister are affected by arthritis. She is able to see first-hand the impact continually improving therapies have on her family's quality of life, and is a witness to how important funding arthritis research is. This hybrid of family, passion and career, keeps Karen committed to being a part of assuring the scientists working toward finding a cure have the resources needed.
Prior to assuming her role at ANRF, Karen served in similar roles as a fundraiser for 10 years including as a Senior Regional Philanthropy Officer at the American Red Cross and a Major Gift Officer at University of Southern California (USC) during their recent $6 billion campaign. She received her M.S. in Management and Leadership from the Graziadio Business School at Pepperdine University and her undergraduate degree in communications from USC.
When not working, Karen enjoys walking, hiking, riding her Peloton and spending time with family and friends.
Kelli Matthews has more than 20 years of public relations experience with a focus on research, planning and strategy. She's been directly responsible for high-level communication, strategic planning, budget management and leadership for a wide variety of organizations.
Kelli has also been an instructor for more than 15 years and her work with undergraduate and graduate students at the University of Oregon's School of Journalism & Communication has required her to stay on the cutting edge of research and practice in public relations. It's also given her a chance to work with some talented educators and researchers.
Matthews holds a B.A. in Journalism: Public Relations and an M.A. in Communication and Society from the University of Oregon. Her graduate work focused on international public health promotion.
Job Titles:
- Professor / Head, Arthritis Research
- Professor in the Department of Molecular and Experimental
Dr. Martin Lotz is Professor in the Department of Molecular and Experimental Medicine at The Scripps Research Institutes and in the Department of Medicine at UCSD. Research interests in the Lotz laboratory are joint biology and mechanisms of arthritis pathogenesis…
Dr. Martin Lotz is Professor in the Department of Molecular and Experimental Medicine at The Scripps Research Institutes and in the Department of Medicine at UCSD. He received his MD degree from University of Heidelberg in 1981 where he trained in internal medicine. In 1983 he moved to San Diego for a research fellowship at The Scripps Research Institute and a rheumatology fellowship at UCSD.
Research interests in the Lotz laboratory are joint biology and mechanisms of arthritis pathogenesis. Dr. Lotz has directed an NIH-funded program on joint aging and osteoarthritis since 1989. Studies on the role of cell death in cartilage led to a project to develop caspase inhibitors for the treatment of post-traumatic arthritis. Recent work from his laboratory identified adult stem cells in cartilage and mechanisms of cartilage superficial zone maintenance and degradation. Current projects investigate mechanisms of joint aging and interactions among the various joint tissues in arthritis pathogenesis. Dr. Lotz was supported by an ANRF grant in 1988.
Missy Hanover joins ANRF with a passion to make a difference. Previously she served as Executive Director at Marconi Automotive Museum and Foundation for Kids and enthusiastically brings her strengths in office management and oversight to manage the ANRF operations. Having been an integral part in behind the scenes management of fundraising endeavors, she knows and believes strongly in teamwork for such a vital outreach.
Before her time in the nonprofit world, Missy trained and showed Morgan show horses both regionally and nationally, and now serves as a United States Equestrian Federation Morgan judge.
Missy is the one you are likely to encounter if you stop in at the office. She is always excited to share the good work being done by our scientists and the ANRF team.
In her free time Missy enjoys hiking, dog walking, judging Morgan horse shows, traveling and visiting her cute grandkids in Denver.
Job Titles:
- at La Jolla Institute for Allergy & Immunology
Nunzio Bottini, MD at La Jolla Institute for Allergy & Immunology and Massimo Bottini, PhD at Sanford Burnham Medical Research Institute, both in San Diego, CA, use nanotechnology to develop focused targets for arthritis drug delivery
Dr. Peter Nigrovic's research focuses on understanding mechanisms of inflammatory arthritis, using both human samples and mouse models. These studies have helped to illuminate the roles played by mast cells, neutrophils and platelets, among other cell types. In studies supported by ANRF…
Job Titles:
- Member of the Board
- Board Member / President, the Salter Group
Job Titles:
- Senior Investigator / Chief, Pediatric Translational Research Branch / Clinical Director, National Institute of Arthritis, Musculoskeletal and Skin Diseases ( NIAMS )
Dr. Colbert is pediatric rheumatologist whose research focuses on mechanisms of inflammation and aberrant bone formation in spondyloarthritic diseases. His studies have elucidated abnormal properties of the predominant disease risk allele, HLA-B*27, and identified the IL-23/IL-17 axis as a major contributor to pathogenesis leading to the development of IL-17 blockade as an effective treatment. He is Clinical Director of the…
Job Titles:
- Director of the Rheumatology Training Program at the VA Medical Center
- Interim Division Chief, Division of Rheumatology, Allergy, Immunology
Robert Terkeltaub, M.D., is the Chief of Rheumatology and director of the Rheumatology Training program at the VA Medical Center, San Diego, CA. In addition, Dr. Terkeltaub is a Professor of Medicine in Residence at the University of California, San Diego.
Job Titles:
- the Scripps Research Institute, La Jolla, CA, Discovers Natural Molecule That Regulates the Growth of Cartilage
Job Titles:
- Retired Vice President and Chief of Staff
Travis Montgomery was on the ground floor of helping guide the Arthritis National Research Foundation as a charter member of the Board of Directors in 1970. After serving for nearly 25 years on the ANRF board, Travis resigned in 2004 when he retired as Vice President and Chief of Staff at The Queen Mary. As a member of that original three-member board, Travis guided ANRF to make its initial arthritis research grant to the Long Beach Memorial Hospital Foundation in 1972. It was a grant of $100,000 to establish the first arthritis clinic and recruit the first rheumatologist to Long Beach.
At that time, the board decided to focus ANRF's efforts on finding a cure for arthritis through funding research. A young post-doctorate researcher at the University of California, Irvine was introduced to the Foundation - Gale "Morrie" Granger, PhD. With an initial grant of $40,000 from ANRF, Dr. Granger pursued his research and discovered a new way of looking at how white blood cells cause tissue damage. The molecule and its receptors he discovered, termed tumor necrosis factor (TNF), led directly to the development of today's most effective treatments for rheumatoid arthritis such as Enbrel.
With Travis's return to the ANRF board, he is again working with Dr. Granger who also serves on the ANRF Board to give back to the organization that was so pivotal in his career. When these two get together they talk about their pioneering efforts and the growth of ANRF since its inception.
"It's exciting to see how far the Foundation has grown from funding research grants only in California to funding quality research programs at some of the most prestigious research centers in America," says Travis. "I'm looking forward to being involved in helping the Foundation expands its outreach even further."
In addition to serving ANRF, Travis is a Past President of the Long Beach Area Council, Boy Scouts of America, an Eagle Scout and Silver Beaver Recipient, Past Chairman of the Board of Trustees of St. Mary Medical Center, Past President of the American Cancer Society (where he met his wife Valerie), and Past Vice Chair of the Long Beach Area Chamber of Commerce.