ACR Journals on Air Podcast
Welcome to ACR Journals on Air, the ACR’s newest podcast series featuring interviews, commentary, and analysis on research from our three peer-reviewed journals: Arthritis & Rheumatology, Arthritis Care & Research, and ACR Open Rheumatology. Join us each episode for engaging discussions with authors and independent experts about recently published studies, their implications for clinical care, and how they move the field of rheumatology forward.
Whether it’s an expert analysis of a manuscript or deep dive with an author—our goal is the same—to understand the impact of the science and bring it from the bench to the bedside.
Podcast Host
Victoria Shanmugam, MBBS, MRCP, CCD, has clinical expertise caring for patients with autoimmune diseases, vasculitis, and chronic wounds. She has led several research studies investigating scleroderma, hidradenitis suppurativa, and the interplay of the host immune response and the microbiome in chronic wounds. Dr. Shanmugam is a frequently invited speaker at professional meetings. Her work in wound healing, hidradenitis, and scleroderma has been published in high-impact peer-reviewed journals, such as Arthritis Care and Research, Current Opinion in Rheumatology, International Wound Journal, and Clinical Rheumatology. Connect with Dr. Shanmugam on Twitter (@VickiShanmugam).
Episodes
New episodes will be available twice a month on Tuesdays.
Episode 60 – Immunology for the Rheumatologist: Fever Pitch
Episode 59 – Immunology for the Rheumatologist: NETs in Lupus
Episode 58 – Immunology for the Rheumatologist: Type I Interferon & Skin Disease
Episode 57 – Opioids and SARDs
Episode 56 – DECT and Gout Remission
Browse previous episodes in the ACR Journals on Air archive.
Episode Show Notes
In this episode, we are joined by Peter A. Nigrovic, MD, an expert in the complexities of macrophage activation syndrome (MAS). The discussion covers the syndrome's history, diagnostic challenges, mechanisms of inflammation, and the latest treatment strategies, including cytokine blockade, JAK inhibitors, and chemotherapy options. Dr. Nigrovic also reflects on his unique career journey, offering valuable insights into combining clinical practice and research, while sharing his philosophy for a fulfilling life in medicine and science. This episode is a thorough exploration of MAS and provides practical advice for clinicians dealing with this complex syndrome.
Peter A. Nigrovic, MD – Peter A. Nigrovic, MD, is a dual-boarded pediatric and adult rheumatologist and Professor of Pediatrics and Medicine at Harvard Medical School, where he holds the Prince Turki bin Abdul Aziz al-Saud Chair in Pediatrics. He is Chief of the Division of Immunology at Boston Children's Hospital and founding director of the Center for Adults with Pediatric Rheumatic Illness (CAPRI) at Brigham and Women's Hospital. His laboratory studies basic mechanisms of arthritis and other inflammatory diseases. He directs the NIAMS-founded Joint Biology Consortium (JBC) research infrastructure, served as founding co-chair of the ACR’s AMIGO mentoring program in pediatric rheumatology, and is a deputy editor of Arthritis & Rheumatology.
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In this episode we explore the role of Neutrophil Extracellular Traps (NETs) in systemic lupus erythematosus (SLE). Mariana J. Kaplan, MD, Chief of the Systemic Autoimmunity Branch at the National Institute of Arthritis Musculoskeletal and Skin Diseases, joins the discussion to break down the complex immunological mechanisms driving lupus, focusing on the contribution of NETs and Low-Density Granulocytes (LDGs) to disease activity and tissue damage. The conversation delves into the potential for these biological markers to improve diagnosis and treatment strategies, particularly in the context of lupus flares and cardiovascular complications.
Mariana J. Kaplan, MD – Mariana J. Kaplan, MD, is NIH Distinguished Investigator, Chief of the Systemic Autoimmunity Branch and Deputy Scientific Director at the Intramural Research Program at NIAMS. Before her appointment, she was a Professor of Medicine in the Division of Rheumatology at the University of Michigan. Dr. Kaplan completed her Rheumatology Fellowship and postdoctoral training at the University of Michigan, where she was a member of the faculty for 15 years and an active member of their Multidisciplinary Lupus Clinic. In addition to her research activities, Dr. Kaplan is an active clinician and teacher. She sees lupus patients in the NIH Clinical Research Center and is involved in the development of various clinical trials for patients with autoimmune diseases at the NIH. She has served in numerous roles at the American College of Rheumatology/Rheumatology Research Foundation, the American Association of Immunologists, and the Lupus Foundation of America.
Dr. Kaplan's research has focused on identifying mechanisms of immune dysregulation, organ damage, and premature vascular disease in systemic autoimmunity. More specifically, she investigates how innate immunity (in particular, type I interferons and myeloid cells) promote autoimmune responses and end-organ damage in systemic lupus erythematosus, rheumatoid arthritis, and other systemic autoimmune diseases.
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In this episode, we sit down with Victoria Werth, MS, MD, a leading expert in dermatology and autoimmune diseases, to explore the study Understanding the Role of Type I Interferons in Cutaneous Lupus and Dermatomyositis: Toward Better Therapeutics. Dr. Werth delves into the complex immune mechanisms that drive skin manifestations in cutaneous lupus and dermatomyositis, two challenging autoimmune conditions. She explains how Type I interferons contribute to inflammation and tissue damage, and how understanding these pathways could pave the way for more targeted and effective treatments.
Victoria P. Werth, MS, MD – Victoria P. Werth, MS, MD, is a Professor of Dermatology and Medicine at the Perelman School of Medicine at the University of Pennsylvania and Chief of the Division of Dermatology at the Philadelphia Veterans Administration Hospital. Dr. Werth earned her medical degree from Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine in Baltimore, Maryland.
She is a co-founder of the Rheumatologic Dermatology Society and previous president of the group. She is co-founder of the Medical Dermatology Society, and a recipient of their lifetime achievement award. She initiated the combined internal medicine/dermatology residency program in the U.S., which has successfully trained prominent leaders in complex medical dermatology. She has a longstanding interest in clinical and translational research pertaining to autoimmune skin diseases, including cutaneous lupus erythematosus, dermatomyositis, and autoimmune blistering diseases, with a focus on improving the outcomes of autoimmune dermatologic diseases. She has developed and validated disease severity tools now used in many international trials for these diseases, with a goal to advancing evidence for current and new therapeutics.
Her laboratory studies include studies in cutaneous lupus and dermatomyositis that relate to pathogenesis and heterogeneity of response to treatment, and ultraviolet light effects on skin. Recent clinical studies have examined mechanistic effects of therapeutics in CLE, as well as subset-specific expression of cytokine signatures.
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In this episode, we explore the findings of a groundbreaking study analyzing opioid treatment trends for adults with and without systemic autoimmune and inflammatory rheumatic diseases (SARDs) from 2006 to 2019. The study, based on national data from the United States, sheds light on how individuals with conditions like rheumatoid arthritis, lupus, and ankylosing spondylitis are impacted by opioid use compared to the general population.
Yinan Huang, MS, PhD – Yinan Huang, MS, PhD, is a health outcome researcher who has extensive experience in observational study designs to address the impacts of treatments on health outcomes with an emphasis on rheumatology. Her research focuses on generating high-quality evidence of medication utilization, effectiveness and safety of disease-modifying antirheumatic drugs as well as other high-risk medications such as opioids for rheumatoid arthritis through largescale healthcare datasets (administrative claims and national survey) and systematic reviews approaches.
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This week we're joined by two leading experts in gout remission, Nicola Dalbeth, MBChB, MD, FRACP, FRSNZ, and Dansoa Tabi-Amponsah, PhD, to explore the exciting advances in gout treatment, with a particular focus on Dual-Energy CT (DECT) imaging and its role in achieving gout remission. We dive into how DECT technology is transforming our ability to visualize urate crystals in joints, its implications for patient care, and the potential it holds for long-term gout management and remission.
Nicola Dalbeth, MBChB, MD, FRACP, FRSNZ – Nicola Dalbeth, MBChB, MD, FRACP, FRSNZ, is a rheumatologist at Health New Zealand and Head of the Department of Medicine at the University of Auckland. She leads a research program focusing on the mechanisms, impact, and treatment of gout.
Dansoa Tabi-Amponsah, PhD – Dansoa Tabi-Amponsah, PhD, is a doctoral student at the University of Auckland. Her PhD research focuses on identifying and understanding the predictors of gout remission.
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