Arthritis & Musculoskeletal Disease Center
Summary:
The UAB Arthritis and Musculoskeletal Center (AMC) serves as the focal point for
fundamental and clinical research in arthritis, autoimmunity, and musculoskeletal
diseases and is dedicated to generating and applying new knowledge to the diagnosis
and treatment of patients with rheumatic disease.
Membership:
The Center’s membership includes over 180 faculty from eight UAB schools, including
Medicine, Dentistry, Engineering, Health Related Professions, Nursing, Optometry,
Public Health, and Social and Behavioral Sciences, as well as the Joint Health Sciences
(JHS).
The UAB AMC has a commitment to create an effective multidisciplinary environment
that supports fundamental and clinical research. It is designated as one of the
international Federation of Clinical Immunology Societies’ (FOCIS) “Centers of Excellence”
in addition to being a nationally top-ranked, peer-reviewed recipient of an Autoimmunity
Center of Excellence (ACE) award from the National Institute of Allergy and Infectious
Disease (NIAID)/National Institutes on Health (NIH). It hosts both a Multidisciplinary
Clinical Research Center (MCRC) and Rheumatic Disease Core Center (RDCC) funded
by the NIH, which support several lines of established research in addition to innovative
pilot projects. These grants also support several state-of-the-art research core
facilities that facilitate ongoing investigation, including a pain and analgesia
assessment module, methodology, epitope recognition and immunoreagent, flow cytometry/high-speed
cell sorting, high-resolution imaging, transgenic/gene targeting, Pittman molecular
genetics, Heflin genomics, and recombinant inbred mice cores.
The Center also has an international reputation for its emphasis on patient-oriented
translational research—advancing the use of novel, state-of-the-art diagnostics
and therapeutics. Key to this capability is the Arthritis Clinical Intervention
Program (ACIP) under the direction of Larry Moreland, M.D., and Anthony M. Turkiewicz,
M.D. Additionally, the establishment of an Infusion Therapy Center in The Kirklin
Clinic has allowed for improved treatment of patients suffering from rheumatoid
arthritis, inflammatory bowel disease, psoriasis, psoriatic arthritis, systemic
lupus erythematosus (SLE), and multiple sclerosis with novel therapeutics.
Partnerships and Collaborations:
The UAB Arthritis and Musculoskeletal Center has a model record of academic and
pharmaceutical R&D partnerships. The Treatment of Early Aggressive Rheumatoid
Arthritis study (TEAR) is a multi-center, national, clinical trial, with support
from academia and industry, to identify the most advantageous timing and combination
of treatment for rheumatoid arthritis patients. The continued operation of the UAB/SANKYO
Program for Rheumatic Diseases and Cancer Research reflects the achievement of the
AMC in successfully interfacing fundamental and clinical investigation to generate
productive interdisciplinary translational research.
The UAB AMC plays a national role in clinical research and provides the leadership
for multiple national patient databases including: LUMINA, CLEAR, and the WGGER
Repository. The Center also hosts the only rheumatology unit in the nation to spearhead
a multi-institutional national consortium on the genetics of SLE. Additionally,
it supports the Osteoporosis Prevention and Treatment Clinic, led by Sarah Morgan,
M.D., M.S., which offers treatment and prevention of osteoporosis through coordinated
patient care, professional and lay education, and clinical bone-related research.
Services:
The UAB AMC has the only AHRQ-funded Center for Education Research in Therapeutics
(CERTs) in Musculoskeletal Diseases, which aims to evaluate the effectiveness, safety,
and impact on health and related quality of life of therapeutics used in the treatment
of musculoskeletal diseases. With the CERTs, the Center’s national reputation helped
to establish a partnership with the Alabama Chapter of the Arthritis Foundation
and the State of Alabama Department of Public Health (ADPH) under aegis of the CDC’s
National Arthritis Action Plan (NAAP). In collaboration with ADPH, the Center for
Health Promotion and the UAB School of Public Health, the AMC has developed a statewide
surveillance, assessment and intervention strategy for arthritis. The Center educates
practitioners, insurers, and policy makers, and combines the substantial clinical
and health services research expertise of UAB with consultants and private sector
partners. Center faculty also regularly conduct presentations for senior citizen
groups, community organizations, corporations, and churches throughout Alabama,
and participate in broadcasted discussions (radio, television, and web).
Opportunity for faculty involvement:
The AMC-affiliated Training Program in Rheumatic Diseases Research supports several
postdoctoral and predoctoral trainees, most of whom go on to pursue academic and
industry research careers. The UAB AMC also fosters a collaborative investigation
climate for faculty with interests in arthritis and musculoskeletal disease. Faculty
participation in a number of fundamental and clinical/translational research projects,
patient registries, and community outreach opportunities is also available.
Primary Contact Person:
, M.D.
Professor of Medicine
Howard L. Holley Research Chair in Rheumatology
Senior Associate Dean for Research Director
Division of Clinical Immunology and Rheumatology
Director, UAB Arthritis and Musculoskeletal Center
1825 University Boulevard—SHEL 172D
Birmingham, AL 35294-2182
(tel) (205) 934-5306
(fax) (205) 934-1564
Web site: www.uab.edu/amc
Leaders and Key Staff:
- Robert P. Kimberly, M.D., Director
- Dennis E. Watts, Assistant to the Director
- Jennifer A. Croker, Ph.D., Program Manager
- Judy D. Thomas, Financial Officer
- Joy R. Fleischer, Financial Officer
- Kamakshi Chandran, Financial Officer