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 66 – The Weight of Lupus
Episode 65 – Improving Engagement and Access to Lupus Clinical Trials
Episode 64 – Pain Relief or Pill Regret: Examining Acetaminophen Safety in Older Adults
Episode 63 – Weight Loss for Gout: What does the data say?
Episode 62 – IV Secukinumab for Axial Spondyloarthritis
Browse previous episodes in the ACR Journals on Air archive.
Episode Show Notes
Laura Plantinga, PhD, joins us to discuss her recent work on the APPEAL study, which examines how lupus affects activities of daily living using patient-reported outcomes and validated measures such as IADLs, BADLs, SLAQ, and PROMIS. We explore her methodological approach, key findings, and implications for clinical practice—particularly how physicians can better support patients in managing functional limitations. Dr. Plantinga also shares insights on translating epidemiologic data into actionable strategies and maintaining scholarly productivity in academic medicine.
Laura Plantinga, PhD – Laura Plantinga, PhD, is an Associate Professor at the University of California, San Francisco (UCSF). She received her master’s in biostatistics from Johns Hopkins Bloomberg School of Public Health and her PhD in Epidemiology from Emory University. She has >20 years of experience in epidemiologic and health services research, with a focus on improving the quality of care delivered to underserved populations with chronic diseases, particularly lupus and kidney disease. She has been funded by grants from the National Institute on Aging (NIA), National Institute of Diabetes and Digestive and Kidney Diseases (NIDDK), and the Agency for Healthcare Research and Quality (AHRQ), among others; serves on the editorial board of the American Journal of Kidney Diseases; and is a member of the ACR/ARP Collaborative Initiative (COIN) Committee.
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In this episode, we explore a new approach to improving participation in lupus clinical trials by strengthening provider outreach and education. Our guest, Saira Z. Sheikh, MD, of UNC Chapel Hill, discusses the TIMELY study, which focuses on involving healthcare providers and community health workers to better connect patients with trial opportunities. From roundtable discussions to changes in provider behavior, we highlight practical strategies that could improve how clinical trials are conducted.
Saira Z. Sheikh, MD – Saira Z. Sheikh, MD, is the Linda Coley Sewell Distinguished Professor of Medicine at the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill. Dr. Sheikh is a nationally renowned physician, researcher, clinical trials investigator and educator. She is trained, and triple board certified in Internal Medicine, Rheumatology and Allergy/Immunology. She is the Director of the Clinical Trials Program at the UNC Thurston Arthritis Research Center, and Director of the UNC Rheumatology Lupus Clinic. She is Principal Investigator on numerous clinical trials and translational projects for new therapeutics and leads real-world, practical models to increase access and opportunities for patients to participate in lupus clinical trials. She is also the lead investigator of a large, federally funded project focused on utilizing machine learning models/AI for earlier diagnosis of lupus entitled Automated Reasoning and Interpretation for Early Lupus detection.
Dr. Sheikh also leads the UNC Lupus Multidisciplinary CAR-T and Cell Therapy Group, currently serves on the American College of Rheumatology’s (ACR’s) Board of Directors and is the Chair of the Lupus Clinical Investigators Network (LuCIN): the premier lupus clinical trials network in North America.
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In this episode, Jaspreet Kaur, BAMS, MPH, PhD, and Abhishek Abhishek, PhD, join us to discuss their recent study on acetaminophen, exploring how it compares to NSAIDs in safety and effectiveness. They break down their use of the Clinical Practice Research Datalink (CPRD), key findings—especially in arthritis patients—and what this means for clinical practice. It's an insightful look at how big data can challenge assumptions about one of the most used pain medications.
Jaspreet Kaur, BAMS, MPH, PhD – Jaspreet Kaur, BAMS, MPH, PhD, is a Research Fellow at the University of Nottingham. She obtained a Bachelor of Ayurvedic Medicine and Surgery from Baba Farid University of Health Sciences, Punjab (India), in 2006. She worked as a Resident Doctor for four years. Then, she completed her Master in Public Health from Oxford Brookes University (UK) in Merit in 2010. Dr. Kaur holds a postgraduate diploma in healthcare management and completed her PhD in Academic Rheumatology from the University of Nottingham.
While pursuing her PhD, Dr. Kaur won the oral presentation in the opening plenary session at the 2019 EULAR Congress in Spain, for which she also won a travel bursary. In the last year of her PhD, she started working as Research Assistant with Dr. Kaushik Chattopadhyay's research team. Currently, she is working with Professor Richard Hubbard, Professor David Baldwin and Dr. Emma O'Dowd.
Abhishek Abhishek, PhD – Abishek Abhishek, PhD, is a Professor of Rheumatology at the University of Nottingham, UK, and Honorary Consultant Rheumatologist at the Nottingham University Hospitals NHS Trust, UK. He qualified in 1999 from Seth GS Medical College in Mumbai (India) and completed residency in internal medicine from NSCB Medical College in Jabalpur (India). After initial medical training posts in Rhyl, Cardiff and Liverpool, he joined the Rheumatology and General Medicine Specialist Registrar training program in Nottingham, UK (2005–2013). Here he developed a clinical and research interest in crystal arthritis. He completed a PhD on Calcium Pyrophosphate Deposition (CPPD) in 2012. He completed higher specialist training in February 2013, gaining dual Certification in General Internal Medicine and Rheumatology. His higher specialist training was interspersed with post-doctoral clinical research fellowship experience at The University of Birmingham.
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In this episode, we chat with Sho Fukui, MD, about his recent study on rising uric acid levels and what’s driving the increase. We dig into the links between weight, obesity, and gout, and hear how a huge health checkup database in Japan helped uncover some eye-opening trends. Dr. Fukui breaks down the findings in simple terms, shares how they compare to older studies like MRFIT, and talks about what they could mean for treatments like GLP-1s. Plus, we get a sneak peek at the exciting research he’s working on next!
Sho Fukui, MD – Sho Fukui, MD, is a Japanese rheumatologist currently serving as a Research Fellow in the Division of Rheumatology at Brigham and Women’s Hospital.
Dr. Fukui earned his MD from Nagoya City University in 2014. He subsequently completed his Internal medicine residency and rheumatology fellowship at St. Luke’s International Hospital in Tokyo. He obtained a Master of Public Health (MPH) in 2022 and is currently a PhD candidate at Kyorin University, Tokyo, Japan. His work centers on clinical research aimed at the epidemiology of gout and serum urate levels, as well as understanding the interplay between rheumatoid arthritis and kidney function. With a background in public health and extensive clinical experience, Dr. Fukui is dedicated to improving patient outcomes through evidence-based approaches and interdisciplinary collaboration.
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In this episode, we’re joined by Atul Deodhar, MD, MRCP, FACR, FACP, a leading expert in the field of axial spondyloarthritis (AxSpA). Dr. Deodhar shares insights from his groundbreaking research on the pathophysiology, diagnosis, and management of AxSpA, particularly focusing on the efficacy and safety of IV secukinumab. We dive deep into his study, INVIGORATE-1, exploring the methods behind it, including the use of Interactive Response Technology, and the primary and secondary endpoints that shed light on this treatment’s impact. We also discuss the latest data on patient preferences for subcutaneous versus intravenous immunomodulators and the implications of these findings. Tune in for an informative and engaging conversation that blends cutting-edge science with thoughtful reflections on patient care.
Atul Deodhar, MD, MRCP, FACR, FACP – Atul Deodhar, MD, MRCP, FACR, FACP, is Professor of Medicine and Medical Director of rheumatology clinics at the Division of Arthritis & Rheumatic Diseases in Oregon Health & Science University, Portland. He is Board Certified in Internal Medicine and Rheumatology; and is a fellow of the American College of Rheumatology, and the American College of Physicians.
Dr. Deodhar is a past chair of SPARTAN, has served on the Steering Committee of GRAPPA, and has served the ACR in various capacities including being the vice-chair of the Annual Meeting Planning Committee.
Dr. Deodhar is the Editor-in-Chief of Best Practice and Research Clinical Rheumatology. He has authored 3 books, over 300 peer-reviewed articles, several editorials, and many book chapters, including in Harrison’s textbook of medicine. He has been a principal or co-investigator in more than 100 clinical trials, mostly focused on therapies for axial spondyloarthritis, psoriatic arthritis, and rheumatoid arthritis.
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