The American College of Rheumatology (ACR) Convergence took place November 10-14, 2022. Various faculty from the Yale Department of Internal Medicine’s Section of Rheumatology, Allergy & Immunology were recognized for their considerable contributions to the society.
Desir Sworn in as President-elect
Deborah Dyett Desir, MD, was sworn in as president-elect of the ACR. “I aim to focus on retaining members and engaging potential members in the work of the ACR. Across the many groups that form the rheumatology universe, I hope to lead an organization where each and every rheumatology professional can find an inclusive home and a sense of belonging.” Previously she served as secretary of the ACR for two years, during which time she also chaired the corporate relations committee.
When asked what she is most excited about for this upcoming year, Desir states “I am excited to lead the organization at a time when we can effectively treat patients and witness prolonged remissions.” She continues, “My father graduated from medical school in the early 1950s at a time when African Americans were not welcome in most organized medicine societies… I am excited to lead the ACR at this crucial time and to represent a new era of inclusion and belonging.”
Bockenstedt and Bucala Named ACR Masters
Linda Bockenstedt, MD, and Richard Bucala, MD, PhD, were recognized as 2022 Masters of the ACR, one of the highest honors within the society. This designation is given to those who have made outstanding contributions to rheumatology through research, clinical care, and medical education.
Bockenstedt is the Harold W. Jockers Professor of Medicine and deputy dean for academic affairs at Yale School of Medicine. After graduating from Harvard College, she completed her medical school at the Ohio State University School of Medicine. She then completed residency training at Yale, where she served as chief resident, followed by a rheumatology fellowship at the University of California, San Francisco. She joined the Yale faculty in 1989 as a physician scientist with a research program investigating the pathogenesis of Lyme disease, a tick-borne infection with rheumatic manifestations, in mouse models and humans.
Bucala is the Waldemar Von Zedtwitz Professor of Medicine (Rheumatology) and professor of pathology, Yale School of Medicine (YSM), and of epidemiology (microbial diseases), Yale School of Public Health, and section chief of rheumatology, allergy, and immunology at YSM. He completed his Bachelor’s of Science degree at Yale University, followed by his MD at Cornell and PhD at Rockefeller University. He trained as a resident at Brigham and Women’s Hospital prior to returning to Yale as faculty. His research focuses on immunopathology mechanisms, specifically assessing MIF-family cytokines.
Hsieh Chairs Global Rheumatology Conference
Evelyn Hsieh, MD, PhD associate professor of medicine (rheumatology) and chief of rheumatology at the VA Connecticut Healthcare System chaired the ACR Global Rheumatology Summit that kicked off Convergence 2022. Topics ranged from the impact of climate change, migration and conflict on human health, to mentorship and building equitable global health partnerships. Hsieh currently chairs the ACR Global Engagement Committee, and previously co-chaired the organization's Global Strategic Task Force, with the goal of expanding ACR global programs. Hsieh’s career has spanned global health initiatives in Peru and China, and more recently Uganda. She is also co-founder and faculty lead of the Yale Network for Global Non-Communicable Diseases (Yale NGN) and served on the ACR’s Board of Directors from 2017-2020.
Hsieh states, “It has been a privilege to create the Global Rheumatology Summit together with my colleagues from the Global Engagement Committee, to learn from the diverse and inspiring speakers, and feel the enthusiastic reception from participants who joined from over 90 countries around the world.”
“At Yale, we uniquely have several faculty within rheumatology who have a passion for global health... I actively seek to bridge the global health and rheumatology communities here on campus and see abundant opportunities for continued growth in this area going forward.”
The Section of Rheumatology, Allergy and Immunology is dedicated to providing care for patients with rheumatic, allergic and immunologic disorders; educating future generations of thought leaders in the field; and conducting research into fundamental questions of autoimmunity and immunology. To learn more about their work, visit Rheumatology, Allergy & Immunology.