Feinstein Institutes lupus researchers recognized with top honors

Betty Diamond, MD, and Anne Davidson, MBBS, were named 2022 award recipients by the American College of Rheumatology and Association of Rheumatology Professionals for their outstanding contributions to the field of rheumatology

In recognition of their ongoing research and leadership in rheumatology, The Feinstein Institutes for Medical Research’s Betty Diamond, MD, and Anne Davidson, MBBS, have been awarded top honors by the American College of Rheumatology (ACR) and the Association of Rheumatology Professionals. The pair was formally recognized during the ACR Convergence 2022 annual conference, November 10-14 in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania.

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Drs. Anne Davidson (left) and Betty Diamond received top honors from the American College of Rheumatology (ACR) and the Association of Rheumatology Professionals. (Photo: Business Wire)

Dr. Diamond received the highest award that the ACR bestows, the Presidential Gold Medal. This award acknowledges the outstanding achievements in rheumatology over the span of a career for people who have made contributions to the field through clinical medicine, research, education or administration.

“To beat disease, you need to first understand what’s driving it at the molecular, most basic level. It has been my career’s mission to explore conditions like lupus to better diagnose and find treatments,” said Dr. Diamond, the Maureen and Ralph Nappi Professor of Autoimmune Diseases, and director of the PhD and MD/PhD programs of the Donald and Barbara Zucker School of Medicine at Hofstra/Northwell. “I am honored by these recognitions and hope to inspire future generations of scientists to continue this important work.”

Dr. Diamond is the director of the Institute of Molecular Medicine at the Feinstein Institutes and a pioneer in the basic science research of autoimmune diseases, particularly systemic lupus erythematosus. For more than four decades, Dr. Diamond has dedicated her career to the study of DNA-reactive B cells, autoantibodies and their origin and effect on the body. She has focused on the impact these antibodies have on the brain and how they may contribute to changes in cognition or behavior in patients with lupus. Dr. Diamond was elected to The National Academy of Sciences (NAS) in May 2022 for her research in molecular medicine.

Dr. Davidson is a professor in the Institute of Molecular Medicine at the Feinstein Institutes and also the program director of the Rheumatology fellowship at Northwell Health. She received one of the 2022 Master of the ACR Designation Recognition, which is one of the highest honors that the College bestows on its distinguished members. The designation of Master is conferred on ACR members who have made outstanding contributions to the field of rheumatology and devoted their long careers to furthering rheumatology research and improving clinical treatment standards.

“It is an honor to receive this award and be among so many colleagues and friends who have dedicated their lives to the field of rheumatology,” said Dr. Davidson, professor of Molecular Medicine at the Donald and Barbara Zucker School of Medicine at Hofstra/Northwell. “I am eager to continue to advance this research that one day may help find effective treatments for lupus and other rheumatic diseases.”

Dr. Davidson and her lab’s research focus is to understand more about the regulation of autoantibody-producing B cells as well as other molecules related to organ inflammation. She is working on translational clinical trials to determine the efficacy and mechanism of action for new treatments.

“Drs. Diamond and Davidson are leaders in their fields of rheumatology and molecular medicine,” said Kevin J. Tracey, MD, president and CEO of the Feinstein Institutes and Karches Family Distinguished Chair in Medical Research. “This recognition by their peers is significant recognition for successes in advancing research and promoting collaboration.”

About the Feinstein Institutes

The Feinstein Institutes for Medical Research is the home of the research institutes of Northwell Health, the largest health care provider and private employer in New York State. Encompassing 50 research labs, 3,000 clinical research studies and 5,000 researchers and staff, the Feinstein Institutes raises the standard of medical innovation through its five institutes of behavioral science, bioelectronic medicine, cancer, health system science, and molecular medicine. We make breakthroughs in genetics, oncology, brain research, mental health, autoimmunity, and are the global scientific leader in bioelectronic medicine – a new field of science that has the potential to revolutionize medicine. For more information about how we produce knowledge to cure disease, visit http://feinstein.northwell.edu and follow us on LinkedIn

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