Winter 2017 (Volume 27, Number 4)

Awards, Appointments, and Accolades

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Dr. Elizabeth Badley

Dr. Elizabeth Badley received the Distinguished Scholar Award from the Arthritis Health Professionals Association (ARHP) at the Annual Joint Meeting of the American College of Rheumatology and ARHP in November 2017. The award is given to an ARHP member who demonstrates exceptional achievements in scholarly activities pertinent to arthritis and the rheumatic diseases. As an epidemiologist and health services researcher, she has primarily focused on using community-based data to understand issues relating to quality of life, aging, and access to health care for arthritis and musculoskeletal disorders. An underlying goal has been to put arthritis on the public health and policy map so that it gets the attention and funding that it deserves. One of the most rewarding aspects has been the privilege of inter-disciplinary collaborations with talented colleagues and students without whom none of this would have been possible.

Dr. Murray Urowitz

Dr. Murray Urowitz was presented with the Distinguished Clinical Investigator Award from the American College of Rheumatology (ACR) at the 2017 Annual Meeting in November. This prestigious award is presented annually to a clinical investigator who has made outstanding contributions to the field of rheumatology. Dr. Urowitz established the University of Toronto Lupus Clinic and Lupus Databank Research Program early in his career. This extensive longitudinal database is one of the largest in the world, with over 1950 patients enrolled. His research program has enabled the establishment of new standardized approaches for measuring lupus outcomes, which are now widely used. The numerous resulting scientific findings have dramatically changed the way lupus is diagnosed and managed. He has published 386 peer-reviewed papers and 43 book chapters, and has supervised the training of over 130 fellows in rheumatology. On receiving this award, Dr. Urowitz said: “Being honoured with this award by my peers validates my work and makes me immensely proud.”

Professor Johanne Martel-Pelletier

Professor Johanne Martel-Pelletier was honoured with the designation of Master of the American College of Rheumatology at the 2017 Annual Meeting. This recognition is one of the highest honours that the ACR bestows on its members. This prestigious recognition was attributed to her outstanding contribution to the field of rheumatology. A pioneer and world leader in translational research on osteoarthritis, this recognition attests to her expertise in both basic and clinical research, which has led to many discoveries in terms of diagnosis and treatment towards personalized medicine. Her work has modified and expanded the understanding of the pathogenesis of osteoarthritis and the biology of the articular tissues, which has had a profound effect on shaping the contemporary understanding of this disease.

The CRAJ would like to recognize the contributions of its readers to the medical field and their local communities. To have any such awards, appointments, or accolades announced in an upcoming issue, please send recipient names, pertinent details, and a brief account of these honours to jyotip@sta.ca. Picture submissions are greatly encouraged.