AARDA Celebrates ‘Autoimmune Heroes’ on Its Scientific Advisory Board

The American Autoimmune Related Diseases Association (AARDA) recently announced its latest #AutoimmuneHeroes — its 22 Scientific Advisory Board (SAB) members who, over the past 25 years, have contributed their time and talents to advancing the association and helping it realize its goals of promoting research into lupus and other autoimmune diseases, patient safety and public education.

Three SAB members, particularly, were spotlighted for work that has had a profound impact on disease research, collaboration and awareness, the association said in a press release. The members are:

• Betty Diamond, MD, the SAB’s chair since 2004. Dr. Diamond, is an investigator and head of the Center for Autoimmune and Musculoskeletal Diseases at The Feinstein Institute for Medical Research, and a professor of Molecular Medicine and Medicine at Hofstra Northwell School of Medicine. Her work into the cause and path of lupus is “groundbreaking” and having broad impacts on the understanding and treatment of lupus and other autoimmune conditions.
• Robert H. Phillips, PhD, a founding board member and current member of the AARDA’s Board of Directors. He is a licensed psychologist and founder and director of the Center for Coping, in Hicksville, New York, which works with individuals and families to improve their ability to cope with medical illnesses and other stresses.
• Noel Rose, MD, PhD, is chairman emeritus of association’s Scientific Advisory Board. He served on the board since 1992, first as a member and then as chair. An immunologist, pathologist, and molecular microbiologist, Rose long has been associated with Johns Hopkins University, where he founded the Johns Hopkins Center for Autoimmune Disease Research.

“For 25 years, AARDA has been privileged to work with many of the world’s foremost autoimmune disease researchers and clinicians who comprise our Scientific Advisory Board,” Virginia Ladd, the group’s founder and executive director, said in the release. “Collectively, these individuals are directly responsible for enormous strides that have been made in discovering, diagnosing and treating the 50 million patients who suffer from the 100-plus known autoimmune diseases.”

Part of its yearlong 25th anniversary celebration, #AutoimmuneHeroes was established to recognize the efforts of people and organizations that have worked to advance the autoimmune agenda in areas such as research, patient safety, advocacy, public education and awareness, service, and volunteerism. Each month, AARDA has been announcing these heroes.

The association also launched a #25for25 fundraising campaign, inviting the public to recognize AARDA’s achievements  and support its work by donating $25 to the nonprofit. More information can be found at www.aarda.org.