BWH Rheumatologists Receive Top Awards at ACR’s Meeting

It was another banner year for rheumatologists at Brigham and Women’s Hospital (BWH). At its annual meeting in November, the American College of Rheumatology honored three members of the Division of Rheumatology with major awards including the ACR’s highest award, the Presidential Gold Medal.  

Presidential Gold Medal
Michael Weinblatt, MD
2017 Recipient

Michael Weinblatt, MD, is the R. Bruce and Joan M. Mickey Distinguished Chair in Rheumatology at BWH, and John R. and Eileen K. Riedman Professor of Medicine at Harvard Medical School. Dr. Weinblatt served as the ACR President in 2001, and has spearheaded therapeutics research for rheumatoid arthritis (RA). He has served as principal investigator on multiple Phase III clinical trials for RA and has played a major role in rheumatology drug development. He is also co-principal investigator of the Brigham Rheumatoid Arthritis Sequential Study (BRASS), a clinical and biorepository registry for RA research. He continues with an active clinical practice and as a key contributor to the teaching program.

Excellence in Investigative Mentoring Award
Elizabeth Karlson, MD
2017 Recipient

Elizabeth Karlson, MD, is a distinguished researcher who examines risk factors for RA with a focus on genetics. Dr. Karlson has mentored numerous trainees and faculty, many of whom now have academic appointments in rheumatology departments around the world. She leads The Rheumatic Disease Epidemiology Group within the Section of Clinical Sciences, Division of Rheumatology, Immunology, and Allergy at BWH.

Distinguished Fellowship Program Director Award
Simon Helfgott, MD, C.M., DCS
2017 Recipient

Simon Helfgott, MD, C.M., DCS, has served as Program Director at BWH for 13 years. Dr. Helfgott has mentored numerous trainees through fellowships and their career choices. His skillful guidance the fellowship in rheumatology at BWH has ensured that it remains a highly sought-after program. Apparently indefatigable, he has also served as the physician editor of The Rheumatologist for six years, and maintains a busy clinical practice.

BWH Participation at 2017 ACR Meeting
In addition to being awarded with the honors above at this year’s ACR meeting, faculty from Brigham and Women’s Hospital Division of Rheumatology also:

  • Delivered 17 lectures
  • Moderated 5 sessions
  • Presented 95 posters and oral abstracts

Further Award Recognition
Beyond the achievements at the ACR, members of the Division of Rheumatology were recently honored with four additional awards:
Rheumatology Research Foundation

Tobé and Stephen E. Malawista, MD, Endowment in Academic Rheumatology
Kevin Wei, MD, PhD   

Innovative Research Award
I-Cheng Ho, MD, PhD

Disease Targeted Research Grant
Peter Nigrovic, MD

BWH Department of Medicine

Hearst Young Investigator in Medicine Award
Deepak Rao, MD, PhD

We are proud of these accolades, which testify to the excellence of the Division’s research accomplishments and our clinical and mentoring teams.