Research is a major priority of the Division of Rheumatology at WashU Medicine. Our laboratories are working to advance fundamental knowledge of human biology and disease, and our clinicians are conducting numerous clinical trials and epidemiological studies.
Ongoing basic and translational science efforts includes studies of complement, natural killer and other innate lymphoid cells, T-cell biology and mucosal immunology, chikungunya viral arthritis, lupus, innate and adaptive immunity, nanotherapies for rheumatoid arthritis, and human genetics. Clinical research efforts include clincial trials and epidemiological studies of rheumatoid arthritis and lupus.
Hua Pan, PhD
Associate Professor of Medicine
Research Interests: Onco-Nephrology, Cardio-Oncology, Nanotechnology, Inflammation
Graduate School: Huazhong University of Science and Technology; Wuhan, Hubei, P. R. China (1997-2000) Master of Medicine: Biomedicine
Case Western Reserve University; Cleveland, OH (2001 – 2004) ME: Biomedical Engineering
Washington University in St. Louis; St. Louis, MO (2004 – 2007) PhD: Biomedical Engineering
Washington University in St. Louis; St. Louis, MO (2012 – 2014) MBA: General Management/Entrepreneurship
Deborah Parks, MD
Professor of Medicine
Director – Musculoskeletal Ultrasound Clinic
Research Interests: Rheumatoid arthritis, sarcoidosis, clinical trials
Medical School: University of Louisville School of Medicine, Louisville, Kentucky (1982)
Residency: Internal Medicine, Washington University School of Medicine, St. Louis, Missouri (1985)
Fellowship: Rheumatology, Washington University School of Medicine, St. Louis, Missouri (1988)
Christine Pham, MD
Division Chief, G & EM Magness Professor of Medicine
Research Interests: Neutrophil proteases, nanomedicine for inflammatory arthritis
Clinical Interests: Rheumatology, arthritis, inflammation and proteases
Medical School: University of Florida College of Medicine, Gainesville, Florida (1985)
Residency: Washington University School of Medicine, St. Louis, Missouri (1989)
Felowship: Rheumatology, Washington University School of Medicine, St. Louis, Missouri (1997)
Sytse Piersma, PhD
Instructor in Medicine
Research Interests: Improving immunotherapy through studying natural killer (NK) cells
Graduate School: University Medical Center Utrecht, Utrecht, Netherlands (2009-2011)
Fellowship: Medical Microbiology, University Medical Center Utrecht, Utrecht, Netherlands (2009-2011)
Fellowship: Rheumatology, Washington University School of Medicine, St. Louis, Missouri (2011-2013)
Prabha Ranganathan, MD, MSCI
Professor of Medicine
Research Interests: Rheumatoid arthritis, epidemiology
Medical School: University of Madras, Madras, India (1990)
Residency: BJH/Washington University School of Medicine, St. Louis, Missouri (1995)
Fellowship: Rheumatology, Washington University School of Medicine, St. Louis, Missouri (1999)
Elisha Roberson, PhD
Assistant Professor of Medicine
Research Interests: Genetic basis of hidradenitis suppurativa, other human diseases
Graduate School: John Hopkins University, Baltimore, Maryland (2004-2009)