Director
Assistant Professor of Medicine
The Lupus Clinic at Washington University was established in March 2014 by Dr. Al Kim, recognizing systemic lupus erythematosus (SLE) as one of the most challenging autoimmune diseases, impacting multiple organ systems and requiring multidisciplinary care. The clinic was designed to address three primary goals: providing specialized rheumatology, dermatology, and nephrology care during a single office visit, enhancing support services by collaborating with SLE-focused non-profit organizations, and spearheading clinical and translational research in SLE.
Under the expert co-direction of Drs. Al Kim and Deepali Sen, the Lupus Clinic has grown significantly. Today, we serve over 300 patients with moderate to severe SLE from nine states. Our dedicated team consists of three rheumatologists (Drs. Kim, Sen, Zickuhr, and Syed), a dermatologist (Dr. Heather Jones), and a nephrologist (Dr. Tingting Li). We have also established a valuable partnership with the Lupus Foundation of America-Heartland Chapter (LFA-HC) to provide patients with additional informational resources on living with SLE. Dr. Kim’s leadership contributions, including serving on the LFA-HC Board of Directors and as Chair of the Program Committee, earned him the prestigious Lupus Leadership Award in 2018.
The Lupus Clinic is a hub for groundbreaking clinical and translational research. Currently, seven research projects addressing critical unmet needs in SLE are underway. Notably, the NIH-funded CASTLE (Complement Activation Signatures in sysTemic Lupus Erythematosus) study, led by Dr. Kim, has garnered recognition. Additionally, the Lupus Clinic has been accepted into LuCIN (Lupus Clinical Investigators Network), a consortium aimed at identifying and developing new SLE therapies. This exciting opportunity allows our patients to participate in four active interventional clinical trials testing the latest therapies for SLE.
The Lupus Clinic’s commitment to research training has also been recognized. Several trainees within our infrastructure have been awarded competitive Rheumatology Research Foundation preceptorship grants. Recently, Jennifer Ra, a senior at Washington University, earned the prestigious Gina M. Finzi Research Fellowship from the Lupus Foundation of America, working under the mentorship of Dr. Kim.
In just four years, the Lupus Clinic at Washington University has not only achieved its initial goals but has also embarked on the journey of becoming a Center of Excellence in SLE. We remain dedicated to providing state-of-the-art patient care, valuable community service, and impactful clinical and translational research. Our unwavering commitment will solidify the Lupus Clinic at WashU as a global leader in SLE care.
For new referrals:
Your provider can fax a referral to Rheumatology at 888-869-4437.
It is important to go through the new referral process so we can ensure we have your records and insurance information for a smooth first visit.
For existing patients:
To contact Dr. Kim please call: 314-286-2638 option 2 then option 12
Clinic Location:
4921 Parkview place, Suite 5C
St. Louis, MO 63110