Nationally recognized thought leader Beth Jonas, MD, was recently featured as the guest medical expert on NPR’s national radio show, “The People’s Pharmacy,” providing an opportunity to educate patients about the last medical insights regarding the causes and management of arthritis.
Approximately two dozen experts and category thought leaders from the UNC Thurston Arthritis Research Center are leading discussions related to advances in testing and patient treatment options at the American College of Rheumatology (ACR) / Association of Rheumatology Health Professionals (ARHP) conference.
Approximately 90 investigators and research staff as well as trainees recently gathered at UNC to share their latest research insights, and discuss innovative new ways to collaborate and move their research forward.
The first study of its kind has shown the speed at which a person walks following surgery to repair their ACL (Anterior Cruciate Ligament) may provide valuable insights into how well their body is repairing the cartilage in their knee, and may also yield helpful clues regarding their future risk of developing osteoarthritis in the joint.
After a national search, Ronald Falk, MD, chair of the department of medicine has announced that Beth L. Jonas, MD, Reeves Foundation Professor of Medicine, has been appointed chief of the division of rheumatology, allergy and immunology.
Dr. Scott Commins, a leading expert on alpha gal meat allergy, was recently featured as an expert regarding a poorly understood allergy to meat that sometimes develops following a tick bite.
Dr. Nelson is widely recognized as a physician who is passionate about conducting innovative Rheumatology research, as well as providing outstanding care for her patients. We would like to congratulate her for being named the current “Caregiver of the Month” by the Caregivers at Carolina organization. Dr. Nelson is an Assistant Professor Medicine, a faulty member in the UNC Thurston Arthritis Research Center, Director of the Musculoskeletal Ultrasound Clinic at the UNC Rheumatology Clinic, and Co-Principal Investigator for the Johnston County Osteoarthritis Project.
Awareness among the medical community and consumers is increasing regarding a still poorly understood food allergy named alpha gal, in which some people who are bitten by ticks subsequently develop an allergy to meat. Physician-scientists in the UNC Division of Rheumatology, Allergy and Immunology are leading the way in helping shed new light on this very unusual allergy. Onyinye Iweala, MD, PhD, was recently quoted as an expert source for a news story, in which she provides perspective regarding the increasing prevalence of this condition in the U.S. and in other countries.
Dr. Phanstiel, a UNC Assistant Professor of Cell Biology & Physiology, and faculty member in the UNC Thurston Arthritis Research Center, has been awarded a 5-Year, $1.25 million grant for his research into how human cells regulate gene transcription during development. His research is focused on better understanding how DNA folds within the cell nucleus, specifically which proteins are involved in governing that folding, and how the resulting three-dimensional structure of chromatin regulates gene transcription. This research addresses fundamental questions regarding how our cells work and how each person’s unique DNA sequence contributes to their development and susceptibility to disease. The results will aid our understanding of a variety of human diseases ranging from arthritis to cancer.
Dr. Scott Commins, who was the lead author on the seminal scientific paper that first described this unique meat allergy, and Dr. Onyinye Iweala, a physician-scientist who is working with Dr. Commins to help unravel its mysteries, are using innovative research approaches to better understand and hopefully one day develop an immunotherapy for alpha gal allergy.