Each year, the Arthritis National Research Foundation (ANRF) looks forward to joining the global rheumatology community at ACR Convergence, the American College of Rheumatology’s annual meeting taking place this year October 24–29 in Chicago, Illinois. As the world’s leading rheumatology gathering, ACR Convergence brings together scientists, clinicians, and advocates dedicated to improving lives through research, care, and collaboration.
Throughout the weekend, our team will be in the Exhibit Hall at Booth #2210, sharing how ANRF empowers early-career scientists through competitive research grants that fuel breakthroughs in arthritis and autoimmune disease. We’ll also highlight our ongoing resources for patients and the broader community, showcasing how research today paves the way for better treatments tomorrow.
If you’re attending, we invite you to stop by our booth to learn more about our mission, our grantees, and how you can be part of the effort to cure arthritis. And if you’d like to set up a time to meet with our team directly during the conference, please reach out to us at info@curearthritis.org — we’d love to connect.
Bringing Our Community Together
Each year during ACR Convergence, ANRF also hosts its Partners & Scholars Networking Reception, a tradition that brings together ANRF Scholars, Alumni, Board Members, Scientific Advisory Board members, and partners. It’s a meaningful evening where ideas are exchanged, collaborations are born, and the shared passion for advancing arthritis research comes to life. Seeing our community gather in one place reminds us just how far research can reach when bright minds and generous hearts come together.
ANRF Scholar Roadmap
We’re incredibly proud of the groundbreaking work our Scholars and Alumni continue to produce, both through ANRF funding and throughout their ongoing careers. This year’s ANRF Scholar Roadmap highlights where you can find them across ACR Convergence 2025 — from oral presentations to poster sessions — all showcasing the impact of innovative, early-career research.
Posters
Sunday
0039: Hemophagocytic Lymphohistiocytosis Gene Variants in Severe COVID-19 Cytokine Storm Syndrome
Location: Hall F1
Abstract Poster Presenter: Randy Cron, MD, PhD – University of Alabama at Birmingham
0054: Microbial Cues Promote Arthritis and Alter T Cell Selection in SKG Mice
Location: Hall F1
Abstract Poster Presenter: Judith Ashouri-Sinha, MD (she/her/hers) – UNIVERSITY OF CALIFORNIA, SAN FRANCISCO
0055: TCR Signaling Thresholds Govern Anergy and Tolerance in ZAP70 Hypomorphic Models of Autoimmune Arthritis
Location: Hall F1
Abstract Poster Presenter: Judith Ashouri-Sinha, MD (she/her/hers) – UNIVERSITY OF CALIFORNIA, SAN FRANCISCO
0093: Soluble CD13 engages protease-activated receptor 4 to promote synovial inflammation and angiogenesis in rheumatoid arthritis
Location: Hall F1
Abstract Poster Presenter: Eliza Pei-Suen Tsou, PhD (she/her/hers) – University of Michigan
0110: SKG Mice Develop CD4⁺ T Cell–Driven Psoriasis and Enable Study of Endogenous Antigen-Specific Responses
Location: Hall F1
Abstract Poster Presenter: Judith Ashouri-Sinha, MD (she/her/hers) – UNIVERSITY OF CALIFORNIA, SAN FRANCISCO
0127: Single-cell Profiling of Dermal Endothelial Cells Reveals Potential Cell-Cell Interactions in Patients with APS and a History of Cardiac Valve Disease
Location: Hall F1
Abstract Poster Presenter: Jason Knight, MD, PhD – University of Michigan
0134: Neutrophil Gasdermin D Pores as Potential Therapeutic Targets in APS-Associated Thromboinflammation
Location: Hall F1
Abstract Poster Presenter: NaveenKumar Somanathapura, PhD – University of Michigan
0501: Phase 1b Study of SBT777101, an Engineered CAR-T-Regulatory Cell Product, in Patients With Rheumatoid Arthritis: Interim Demographics and Safety
Location: Hall F1
Abstract Poster Presenter: Sarah Baxter, MD, PhD (she/her/hers) – Sonoma Biotherapeutics
0660: Effects of Deucravacitinib on Dysregulated Autoimmune Gene Modules That Correlate With Skin Disease Severity and Treatment Response in Patients With Cutaneous Manifestations of Lupus Erythematosus: Biomarker Results From a Global, Randomized, Placebo-Controlled Phase 2 Study
Location: Hall F1
Abstract Poster Presenter: J. Michelle Kahlenberg, MD, PhD – University of Michigan
Monday
0925: Pathogenic role of SPP1+ macrophages in Rheumatoid Arthritis
Location: Hall F1
Abstract Poster Presenter: Megan M. Hanlon, PhD, BSc (she/her/hers) – Brigham and Women’s Hospital, HMS
0943: Type I and Type II IFNs have both independent and overlapping effects on SLE disease severity
Location: Hall F1
Abstract Poster Presenter: Jeremy Tilstra, MD, PhD – University of Pittsburgh
0972: Prominent endothelial senescence in systemic sclerosis skin
Location: Hall F1
Abstract Poster Presenter: Eliza Pei-Suen Tsou, PhD (she/her/hers) – University of Michigan
1019: Associations Between Mental Health Diagnoses and Acute Care Use Among Individuals with Systemic Lupus Erythematosus in the All of Us Research Program
Location: Hall F1
Abstract Poster Presenter: Karen Costenbader, MD, MPH – Brigham and Women’s Hospital/ Harvard Medical School
1020: Cohort Study of European Ancestry, Geographic Region, Ambient Ultraviolet Irradiance and the Risk of Developing Polymyalgia Rheumatica among Women
Location: Hall F1
Abstract Poster Presenter: Karen Costenbader, MD, MPH – Brigham and Women’s Hospital/ Harvard Medical School
1181: Clinical Relevance of Tumor Necrosis Factor Superfamily Cytokines
Location: Hall F1
Abstract Poster Presenter: Robert Corty, MD, PhD (he/him/his) – Vanderbilt
10:30 AM – 12:30 PM Central Time
1227: The Composition of Circulating Immune Cells is Associated with Nociplastic Pain in Patients with Rheumatoid Arthritis
Location: Hall F1
Abstract Poster Presenter: Deborah Winter, PhD – Northwestern University
10:30 AM – 12:30 PM Central Time
1309: Transcriptomic biomarkers of progression from undifferentiated arthritis to rheumatoid arthritis
Location: Hall F1
Abstract Poster Presenter: Damini Jawaheer, PhD, MS – Northwestern University
Tuesday
10:30 AM – 12:30 PM Central Time
1792: OA protection in African spiny (Acomys) mice is partially mediated by the gut microbiome and is transferrable to wild-type mice via microbiome transplantation
Location: Hall F1
Abstract Poster Presenter: Matlock Jeffries, MD, FACP, FACR – Oklahoma Medical Research Foundation
10:30 AM – 12:30 PM Central Time
1800: The Role of Nociceptor-Expressed Piezo2 in Nervous System Immune Cell Infiltration in a Mouse Model of Osteoarthritis
Location: Hall F1
Abstract Poster Presenter: Rachel Miller, PhD, BS – Rush University Medical Center
10:30 AM – 12:30 PM Central Time
1829: Multiomic Investigation of Juvenile Idiopathic Arthritis Synovium Reveals Immune Cell Heterogeneity
Location: Hall F1
Abstract Poster Presenter: Yuriy Baglaenko, PhD – Cincinnati Children’s Hospital
10:30 AM – 12:30 PM Central Time
1838: Differential Expression Of Activation Markers On dsDNA-reactive B-cells Between Healthy Subjects And SLE Patients Reveals Unconventional Extrafollicular Activation In SLE
Location: Hall F1
Abstract Poster Presenter: Jolien Suurmond, PhD – Leiden University Medical Center
10:30 AM – 12:30 PM Central Time
1871: Examining the Impact of ETV2 on altered endothelial phenotype in systemic sclerosis
Location: Hall F1
Abstract Poster Presenter: Eliza Pei-Suen Tsou, PhD (she/her/hers) – University of Michigan
10:30 AM – 12:30 PM Central Time
1935: Sex-associated disparities in industry payments to US authors in high-impact rheumatology journals correlate with author impact
Location: Hall F1
Abstract Poster Presenter: William Stohl, MD, PhD – University of Southern California
10:30 AM – 12:30 PM Central Time
2285: Synovium-on-a-chip – Development of a Humanized Rheumatoid Arthritis Model that Mimics Disease and Patient Biological Heterogeneity
Location: Hall F1
Abstract Poster Presenter: Theresa Wampler Muskardin, MD – Hospital for Special Surgery and Weill Cornell Medicine
10:30 AM – 12:30 PM Central Time
2451: Tofacitinib Lowers Markers of Photosensitivity in Patients with Cutaneous Lupus Erythematosus
Location: Hall F1
Abstract Poster Presenter: J. Michelle Kahlenberg, MD, PhD – University of Michigan
Presenters
Friday – 10:50 AM – 11:00 AM Central Time
Q&A
Location: Virtual
Virtual Speaker: Peter Nigrovic, MD – Boston Children’s Hospital
Sunday – 9:00 AM – 10:00 AM Central Time
26S07: Energizing Immunity: How Mitochondria Contribute to Inflammation in Lupus and Photosensitivity
Moderator: Christian Lood, PhD – University of Washington
Moderator: Richard Moore, BSc (he/him/his) – Cedars-Sinai
Session Coordinator: Christian Lood, PhD – University of Washington
Sunday – 9:00 AM – 10:00 AM Central Time
26S08: Bullseye! What’s the Target for T Cell-Targeted Therapies?
Moderator: Marcus Clark, MD – University of Chicago
Moderator: Melanie Smith, MD, PhD – Hospital for Special Surgery
Session Coordinator: Jeremy Tilstra, MD, PhD – University of Pittsburgh
Sunday – 9:00 AM – 10:00 AM Central Time
26S16: Go CAR-Ting and Beyond for Kids: State of the Art of Pediatric Cell-Based Therapies
Moderator: Shaun Jackson, MD, PhD – Seattle Children’s Research Institute
Moderator: Holly Wobma, MD;PhD – Boston Children’s Hospital
Session Coordinator: Susan Shenoi, MS, MBBS, RhMSUS – Seattle Children’s Hospital and Research Center
Session Coordinator: Ekemini Ogbu, MD, MSc – Cincinnati Children’s Hospital Medical Center
Sunday – 10:30 AM – 11:30 AM Central Time
26S21: Driving CAR-T into the Future: What Are the Right B Cell Targets in Systemic Lupus Erythematosus and Beyond?
Moderator: Anne Davidson, MBBS, FRACP – Feinstein Institutes for Medical Research
Session Coordinator: Jeremy Tilstra, MD, PhD – University of Pittsburgh
Interactive Moderator: Jeremy Tilstra, MD, PhD – University of Pittsburgh
Sunday – 10:30 AM – 11:30 AM Central Time
26S24: Controversies in the Treatment of Knee Osteoarthritis: Do Alternative Therapies Actually Work?
Moderator: C. Thomas Appleton, MD, PhD, FRCPC – The University of Western Ontario
Moderator: Matlock Jeffries, MD, FACP, FACR – Oklahoma Medical Research Foundation
Session Coordinator: Matlock Jeffries, MD, FACP, FACR – Oklahoma Medical Research Foundation
Sunday – 10:30 AM – 11:30 AM Central Time
26S26: Trisomy 21 and Immune Dysregulation: Bridging Research and Clinical Practice
Moderator: Pui Lee, MD, PhD – Boston Children’s Hospital
Moderator: Daniel Ibanez, MD – University of Miami
Session Coordinator: Pui Lee, MD, PhD – Boston Children’s Hospital
Sunday – 1:00 PM – 2:30 PM Central Time
26S31: Abstracts: Rheumatoid Arthritis – Etiology and Pathogenesis (0795–0800)
Abstract Moderator: Melanie Smith, MD, PhD – Hospital for Special Surgery
Abstract Moderator: Anna Helena Jonsson, MD, PhD – University of Colorado
Sunday – 3:00 PM – 4:30 PM Central Time
26S54: Abstracts: Pediatric Rheumatology – Basic Science (0819–0824)
Abstract Moderator: Anna Patrick, MD, PhD – Vanderbilt University Medical Center
Abstract Moderator: Margaret Chang, MD, PhD – Boston Children’s Hospital
Sunday – 3:00 PM – 4:30 PM Central Time
26S56: It’s Not All in Your Head: Neuroimmune Mechanisms of Pain
Moderator: Caroline Jefferies, PhD – Cedars-Sinai Medical Center
Moderator: Anne-Marie Malfait, MD – Rush University Medical Center
Session Coordinator: Polly Ferguson, MD – University of Iowa Carver College of Medicine
Monday – 7:30 AM – 8:30 AM Central Time
MTP25.PSORI.14A: Meet-the-Professor: Psoriatic Arthritis – Enrollment Required
Location: W176A
Seminar Presenter: Christopher Ritchlin, MD, MPH – University of Rochester Medical Center
Monday – 8:00 AM – 9:30 AM Central Time
27M01: Plenary II (0849–0854)
Abstract Moderator: Susan Shenoi, MS, MBBS, RhMSUS – Seattle Children’s Hospital and Research Center
Abstract Moderator: Matlock Jeffries, MD, FACP, FACR – Oklahoma Medical Research Foundation
CE: 0.00
Monday – 10:00 AM – 11:30 AM Central Time
27M19: Abstracts: Rheumatoid Arthritis – Animal Models (0867–0872)
Abstract Moderator: Susan MacLauchlan, PhD – Brigham and Women’s Hospital
Abstract Moderator: Maripat Corr, MD – ucsd
Monday – 10:00 AM – 11:30 AM Central Time
27M25: From Omics to Action: Redefining the Immune Landscape in RA Joint
Moderator: Samuel Dowling, MD;PhD – Ann & Robert H. Lurie Children’s Hospital of Chicago
Moderator: Deepak Rao, MD;PhD – Brigham and Women’s Hospital
Session Coordinator: Carla Cuda, PhD – Northwestern University
Monday – 10:00 AM – 11:30 AM Central Time
27M27: GLP1 Agonists in Rheumatic Disease and Osteoarthritis: Should We Give Them to Everyone?
Moderator: Matlock Jeffries, MD, FACP, FACR – Oklahoma Medical Research Foundation
Moderator: Nancy Lane, MD, BA – University of California at Davis, School of Medicine
Session Coordinator: Matlock Jeffries, MD, FACP, FACR – Oklahoma Medical Research Foundation
Session Coordinator: Nancy Lane, MD, BA – University of California at Davis, School of Medicine
Monday – 10:30 AM – 11:30 AM Central Time
27M30: Through the Looking Glass: Insights into the Pathogenesis of Autoimmune Uveitis
Moderator: Margaret Chang, MD, PhD – Boston Children’s Hospital
Moderator: Michael Paley, MD, PhD – Washington University in St. Louis
Session Coordinator: Carla Cuda, PhD – Northwestern University
Monday – 11:30 AM – 12:30 PM Central Time
MTP25.RHEUM.17A: Meet-the-Professor: Rheumatoid Arthritis – Enrollment Required
Location: W175A
Seminar Presenter: Jon Giles, MD;MPH – Cedars Sinai Medical Center
Monday – 11:30 AM – 12:30 PM Central Time
MTP25.OSTEO.4A: Meet-the-Professor: Osteoarthritis Challenges – Enrollment Required
Location: W175C
Seminar Presenter: Matlock Jeffries, MD, FACP, FACR – Oklahoma Medical Research Foundation
Monday – 1:00 PM – 2:00 PM Central Time
27M42: Old Dog, New Tricks: Regulation of Autoinflammation and Autoimmunity Informed by Inborn Errors of Immunity
Moderator: Polly Ferguson, MD – University of Iowa Carver College of Medicine
Moderator: Tiphanie Vogel, MD, PhD – Baylor College of Medicine
Session Coordinator: Polly Ferguson, MD – University of Iowa Carver College of Medicine
Monday – 1:00 PM – 2:00 PM Central Time
27M49: Journal Club with the Editors
Moderator: S. Louis Bridges, Jr, MD, PhD – Hospital for Special Surgery
Moderator: Mary Crow, MD – Hospital for Special Surgery
Session Coordinator: Gregory Gardner, MD – University of Washington
Monday – 1:00 PM – 2:30 PM Central Time
27M47: Axial Spondyloarthritis and Its Mimics Across the Age Spectrum: Emerging Concepts
Moderator: Joerg Ermann, MD – Brigham and Women’s Hospital
Moderator: Rouhin Sen, MD,MS – University of Alabama at Birmingham
Session Coordinator: Grant Louie, MD, MHS – Arthritis and Rheumatism Associates, PC
Session Coordinator: Lesley Jackson, MD, MSPH – University of Alabama at Birmingham
Monday – 2:30 PM – 3:30 PM Central Time
27M58: The Cytokine Language of Still’s Disease and MAS
Moderator: Lauren Henderson, MD, MSc – Boston Children’s Hospital
Moderator: Susan Canny, MD, PhD – Seattle Children’s Hospital/University of Washington
Session Coordinator: Pui Lee, MD, PhD – Boston Children’s Hospital
Monday – 4:00 PM – 5:00 PM Central Time
MTP25.PSORI.14B: Meet-the-Professor: Psoriatic Arthritis – Enrollment Required
Location: W175C
Seminar Presenter: Christopher Ritchlin, MD, MPH – University of Rochester Medical Center
Monday – 4:00 PM – 5:00 PM Central Time
MTP25.OSTEO.4B: Meet-the-Professor: Osteoarthritis Challenges – Enrollment Required
Location: W175B
Seminar Presenter: Matlock Jeffries, MD, FACP, FACR – Oklahoma Medical Research Foundation
Monday – 5:30 PM – 7:30 PM Central Time
ISS10: Fatigue, Flares, and Function: Bridging the Gap from Clinical Trials to Patient Care in SLE
Location: Grand Horizon Ballroom AB, Marriott Marquis
Industry Presenter: Karen Costenbader, MD, MPH – Brigham and Women’s Hospital/ Harvard Medical School
Industry Presenter: Rosalind Ramsey-Goldman, MD, DrPH – Northwestern University
Industry Presenter: Jinoos Yazdany, MD, MPH – UCSF
Tuesday – 7:30 AM – 8:30 AM Central Time
MTP25.RHEUM.17B: Meet-the-Professor: Rheumatoid Arthritis – Enrollment Required
Location: W175A
Seminar Presenter: Jon Giles, MD;MPH – Cedars Sinai Medical Center
Tuesday – 8:30 AM – 9:30 AM Central Time
28T07: An Emerging Role for Artificial Intelligence in Imaging for Diagnosis and Management of Rheumatic Conditions
Moderator: Genessis Maldonado, MD – Vanderbilt University Medical Center
Moderator: Bernard Ng, MBBS;MSc;MMed – Veteran Affairs
Session Coordinator: Lesley Jackson, MD, MSPH – University of Alabama at Birmingham
Session Coordinator: Bernard Ng, MBBS;MSc;MMed – Veteran Affairs
Session Coordinator: Matlock Jeffries, MD, FACP, FACR – Oklahoma Medical Research Foundation
Tuesday – 9:00 AM – 9:45 AM Central Time
28T12: Engage and Solve: Pediatric Rheumatology Kahoot! Game
Session Coordinator: Pui Lee, MD, PhD – Boston Children’s Hospital
Session Coordinator: Susan Shenoi, MS, MBBS, RhMSUS – Seattle Children’s Hospital and Research Center
Tuesday – 10:00 AM – 11:30 AM Central Time
28T15: Abstracts: Spondyloarthritis Including Psoriatic Arthritis – Basic Science (1752–1757)
Abstract Moderator: Monica Guma, MD, PhD – UCSD
Abstract Moderator: Iannis Adamopoulos, PhD – Harvard Medical School, BIDMC, Division of Rheumatology
Tuesday – 10:00 AM – 11:30 AM Central Time
28T23: Bypassing the ‘Toll’ Booth: NIAID-Supported Insights into Alternative Nucleic Acid Sensing in Autoimmunity
Moderator: Jeffrey Rice, PhD – National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases (NIH/NIAID)
Moderator: Christian Lood, PhD – University of Washington
Session Coordinator: Carla Cuda, PhD – Northwestern University
Tuesday – 10:30 AM – 11:15 AM Central Time
330: Basic Science Poster Tour
Location: Hall F1
Guided Poster Tour Leader: Tiphanie Vogel, MD, PhD – Baylor College of Medicine
Tuesday – 1:00 PM – 2:00 PM Central Time
28T40: Beyond NETs: Alternative Roles of Neutrophils in Spondyloarthritis
Moderator: Iannis Adamopoulos, PhD – Harvard Medical School, BIDMC, Division of Rheumatology
Session Coordinator: Christian Lood, PhD – University of Washington
Session Coordinator: Sadiq Umar, PhD – University of Illinois at Chicago
Tuesday – 1:00 PM – 2:00 PM Central Time
28T41: Tissue Is the Issue: How Kidney Physiology Impacts Immunity
Moderator: Theresa Lu, MD;PhD – Hospital for Special Surgery
Moderator: Jeremy Tilstra, MD, PhD – University of Pittsburgh
Session Coordinator: Jeremy Tilstra, MD, PhD – University of Pittsburgh
Tuesday – 4:00 PM – 5:00 PM Central Time
28T68: Cracking the Code: Overcoming the Challenges in Kawasaki Disease Treatment
Moderator: Olha Halyabar, MD – Children’s Hospital/Boston Medical Center
Moderator: Anita Dhanrajani, MBBS, MSc – Manning Family Children’s Hospital, Tulane School of Medicine
Session Coordinator: Pui Lee, MD, PhD – Boston Children’s Hospital
Wednesday – 8:30 AM – 9:00 AM Central Time
29W04: Pediatric Rheumatology FDA Updates
Moderator: Pui Lee, MD, PhD – Boston Children’s Hospital
Session Coordinator: Jessica Neely, MD – UCSF
Session Coordinator: Pui Lee, MD, PhD – Boston Children’s Hospital
Wednesday – 8:30 AM – 9:30 AM Central Time
29W03: Innovations in Interstitial Lung Disease: Cellular Mechanisms and Translational Applications in Lung Fibrosis
Moderator: Nunzio Bottini, MD;PhD – Cedars Sinai Medical Center
Moderator: Benjamin Korman, MD – University of Rochester
Session Coordinator: Monica Yang, MD – UCSF
Wednesday – 11:30 AM – 1:00 PM Central Time
29W20: Abstracts: Epidemiology & Public Health I (2657–2662)
Abstract Moderator: Jose A. Gómez-Puerta, MD, PhD, MPH – Hospital Clínic
Abstract Moderator: Vivian Kawai, MD – University of Alabama at Birmingham
