Research Roundtables

I am a Nephrology clinician-scientist at the department of Internal Medicine of the Leiden University Medical Center (LUMC). I am the head of the Nephrology outpatient clinic and the national and European recognized center of expertise for Lupus, Vasculitis and Complement-mediated Systemic diseases (LuVaCs). I also lead and co

ordinate a clinical, multidisciplinary pathway aimed at counselling and guiding a pregnancy wish of patients with systemic lupus erythematosus (SLE) or antiphospholipid syndrome.

Since the beginning from my academic career, I have organized a clinical research program for the development of novel treatment strategies in patients with a renal autoimmune diseases including lupus nephritis and ANCA associated vasculitis. Simultaneously, I conduct a translational research program focused on neutrophil extracellular traps, B-cell & plasma cell immunology which enables us to perform innovative immunomonitoring in patients with LuVaCs managed with novel treatment strategies.

I am actively involved as clinical teacher for Nephrology, Immunology and Basic Physiology & Anatomy in the curriculum of Medicine at the Leiden University. I teach and supervise medical students for their scientific internships as well as clinical internships as part of the Medicine curriculum. Clinical bedside teaching of the LUMC Internal Medicine residents. I have supervised 7 MD-PhD students to date.

I qualified from Oxford in 1988 and trained in rheumatology in London. I have been a consultant at University College London since 2000 and a Professor since 2008. My research interests include systemic lupus erythematosus, antiphospholipid syndrome and chronic pain. I am a member of the BILAG and SLICC groups.

I graduated with a medical degree from the National and Kapodistrian University of Athens, Greece, in 2006. My academic and professional focus is on B cell biology and novel treatments for systemic lupus erythematosus (SLE) and lupus nephritis (LN). In February 2017, I completed my doctoral thesis titled Systemic Lupus Erythematosus: Biomarkers and Biologics at the Department of Medicine Solna, Karolinska Institutet, Stockholm, Sweden. My research has centered on identifying biomarkers and refining predictive models for diagnosis, treatment response, and long-term prognosis in SLE and LN.

Currently, I serve as a senior consultant rheumatologist at Karolinska University Hospital, Stockholm, Sweden, and I also hold leadership roles in medical education as Coordinator for elective courses and Examiner for clinical courses in Internal Medicine at the medical program of Karolinska Institutet. Alongside my clinical and teaching responsibilities, I lead clinical and translational research in inflammation and autoimmunity at Karolinska Institutet. Since 2021, I am affiliated with Örebro University, Sweden, contributing to rheumatology research.

At the Center for Molecular Medicine (CMM) in Region Stockholm, I lead a research team focused on lupus and autoimmunity. I have led three doctoral students to successful thesis defense and graduation. Currently, I serve as the principal supervisor for four doctoral students and co-supervisor for three others.

As the global principal investigator (PI) for the ReBioLup study (Per-protocol repeat kidney biopsy in incident cases of lupus nephritis; NCT04449991), conducted under the auspices of the Lupus Nephritis Trials Network, I oversee key research initiatives aimed at advancing LN management. Additionally, I am the PI for several prospective SLE studies at Karolinska and Örebro University Hospitals, including research within the European 3TR project (Taxonomy, Treatment, Targets, and Remission), where I co-lead the SLE working group and cross-disease activities. I also contribute to the X-HiDE consortium (Exploring Inflammation in Health and Disease) at Örebro University, where I serve on the Steering Committee.

Beyond my research, I have contributed to EULAR (European Alliance of Associations for Rheumatology) task forces that developed guidelines for managing SLE and LN, and guidelines for the non-pharmacological management of SLE and systemic sclerosis. Since January 2025, I serve as President-Elect of the European Lupus Society (SLEuro).

My background in Medicine, Immunology and Genetics make a unique combination and provide me with the tools I need to successfully carry my projects. For nearly 30 years of my research career I focused in the identification of the genetic basis of SLE as a first building block towards understanding how genes lead to cellular abnormalities that eventually to clinical disease. A main goal of my research is to understand the mechanisms behind disease pathogenesis, identify new biomarkers for prediction of disease outcomes, flares and remission, and find new therapeutic targets, understanding the mechanisms of response and non-response to therapies, and define the heterogeneity of SLE. I am totally committed to the work for lupus, and I believe that only through careful longitudinal analysis of the patients, and proper molecular analyses, will we be able to advance our understanding of this disease. I am using systems biology approaches, -omics data integration and clustering, scRNASeq and other omics methods and bioinformatics approaches in my research. We use also animal models to study their similitudes with the human disease and the understanding of the function of lupus susceptibility genes. By coordinating large multicenter studies in Europe (PRECISESADS – 2014-2019, and 3TR – 2019-2026), I gained important experience in this and in the relationship with the pharmaceutical industry.

Anne Margrethe Troldborg, MD, PhD, is an Associate Professor of Biomedicine at Aarhus University and a Consultant Rheumatologist at Aarhus University Hospital. She has worked in systemic lupus erythematosus (SLE) research for more than 12 years, with a strong translational focus at the interface of immunology and clinical rheumatology. Her research aims to uncover pathogenic mechanisms in autoimmune disease—particularly the roles of innate immunity, complement activation, coagulation, and pregnancy-related immune dysregulation.

Dr. Troldborg leads multiple national and international collaborative projects, including the European ELUSIDATE initiative and several mechanistic SLE studies integrating omics, biomarkers, and clinical cohorts. She has authored more than 100 peer-reviewed publications and has received several prestigious awards recognising her scientific contributions. Her long-standing collaborations span leading lupus centres in Switzerland, the UK, Sweden, and the broader Nordic SLE networks.

I am a rheumatologist and clinical scientist deeply committed to patient care and translational research with a dedicated focus on SLE and lupus nephritis.

In the clinic, I lead the outpatient clinic for SLE patients and systemic connective tissue diseases, providing a renovated approach to their treatment strategies which refers to the latest treat-to-target perspective and optimized drug combination. Besides, I hold continuous multidisciplinary interactions with colleagues from other fields e.g. nephrologists and pulmonologists aimed at harmonizing the approach to our patients and at integrating the latest advancements in rheumatology to deliver the best possible care.

Driven by the desire to join clinical and lab research, my academic background includes a Ph.D. and post-doctoral experience conducted in specialized centers abroad (Charité hospital Berlin and Gothenburg University in Sweden) where I focused on the study of B cell abnormalities in SLE, LN as well as other autoimmune conditions, gaining skills in laboratory research including flow-cytometry, cell culturing and stimulation and RNA extraction, and parallelly developing mentoring skills for younger fellows.

I recognize the importance of collaboration in the scientific community and am fortunate to maintain connections with colleagues around the world, which leads to a continuous enrichment in knowledge and to fruitful cooperations resulting in joint research projects and exchange of younger fellows/students between our academic centers.

In essence, my journey in patient care and research always brought me at the intersection of clinical practice and scientific exploration, constantly learning and humbly contributing to original advancements in the field of SLE and LN.
My ultimate goal is to make a positive impact on the lives of individuals dealing with lupus and connective tissue diseases, and to extend my fondness to younger fellows.

Angela Tincani is now senior consultant at Rheumatology and Clinical Immunology Unit in the “ASST-Spedali Civili di Brescia”, Italy, and professor at Rheumatology Specialization, University of Brescia. Previously Head of the Rheumatology and Clinical Immunology Unit at the “ASST-Spedali Civili di Brescia”, Italy. Professor Tincani has been committee member or chair of many international conferences on SLE, Antiphospholipid Antibodies, Autoimmunity, Pregnancy in Rheumatic Diseases. She has been involved in the EULAR task forces as an “expert” for the development of recommendations. She has authored more than 300 publications on systemic autoimmune diseases. Several articles focus on reproductive related issues such as: 1) management of patients with rheumatic diseases during pregnancy; 2) use of anti-rheumatic drugs during pregnancy and lactation; 3) evaluation of different autoimmune diseases and autoantibodies as risk factors for poor gestational outcome. Prof. Tincani has a recognized experience in the clinical management of patients with autoimmune rheumatic diseases. Since 1990 she organized the multidisciplinary Pregnancy Clinic in Rheumatic Diseases of Brescia hospital.

Ricard Cervera, MD, PhD is Senior Consultant and Head at the Department of Autoimmune Diseases, Hospital Clínic, Barcelona, Director of the Research Group on Systemic Autoimmune Diseases at the Institut d’Investigacions Biomèdiques August Pi i Sunyer (IDIBAPS) of Barcelona, Professor of Medicine-Autoimmune Diseases and Director of the UB-GSK Chair on Autoimmune Diseases, Coordinator of the Masters’ on Autoimmune Diseases and Academic Vice-Dean at the Faculty of Medicine and Health Sciences of the University of Barcelona (UB), Barcelona, Catalonia, Spain. Dr. Cervera qualified in Medicine in 1983 from the University of Barcelona and in 1988 obtained his PhD degree for his thesis on anticardiolipin antibodies. In 1995, together with Drs. Miguel Ingelmo and Josep Font created the Department of Autoimmune Diseases of the Hospital Clínic de Barcelona, a pioneering centre in Europe devoted to developing high quality clinical, academic and research work on these conditions. Dr. Cervera is founder member and Executive Board member of the European Lupus Society and the Spanish Society of Systemic Autoimmune Diseases (current Vice-president) as well as member of the Catalan, Spanish and International Societies of Internal Medicine, the Spanish Society of Rheumatology and the European League Against Rheumatism (EULAR) and Fellow of the Royal College of Physicians (FRCP) of London. He is past-coordinator of the European Working Party on Systemic Lupus Erythematosus (Euro-Lupus Group) (1990-2008) and the European Forum on Antiphospholipid Antibodies (2009-2017) and founder member of the Lupus Academy. He is also founder member and Executive Committee member of the Antiphospholipid Syndrome Alliance for Clinical Trials and International Networking (APS ACTION) and the Lupus Nephritis Trials Network (LNTN) and co-coordinator of the European multicenter projects PRECISESADS (Molecular reclassification to find clinically useful biomarkers for systemic autoimmune diseases) and 3TR (Taxonomy, Treatment, Targets and Remission). Dr. Cervera is also the chairman of the Medical Advisory Board of the Catalan Association of Lupus Patients and Medical Advisor to Lupus Europe (European Federation of Lupus Patient Associations). He has organized many international workshops, symposia and courses on autoimmune diseases. Among other awards, he has received the Prizes of the “5th European Conference on Systemic Lupus Erythematosus”, EULAR 2003 and EULAR 2005 and the Award to the Professional Excellence of the College of Physicians of Barcelona – 2014.

Degree in Medicine in 1989, Faculty of Medical Sciences of Lisbon. Specialist in Internal Medicine since 1998. Specialist in Clinical Pharmacology since 2017. PhD in Medicine (Rheumatology) by University College of London in 2004. Director of the Internal Medicine Department and of the Systemic Immunomediated Diseases Unit, Fernando da Fonseca Hospital, Amadora, Portugal.
Professor of Medicine and Medical Therapeutics: Faculty of Medical Sciences, Lisbon. Principal Investigator and Coordinator of the “Immune response and Vascular Disease Research Group” of CEDOC (Centre for Chronic Diseases)/ NOVA Medical School. Director of the Clinical Research Department of CEDOC of NOVA Medical School, Lisbon. Director of the Department of Post-graduate Education and Clinical Research, Fernando Fonseca Hospital, Amadora.
President of the Autoimmune Diseases Study Group of the Portuguese Society of Internal Medicine from 2020 till 2024.
Scientific advisor for the Portuguese Health Administration Agency (DGS) on Internal Medicine since 2009. Scientific advisor for INFARMED (Portuguese Drug Agency) for biologic therapy in autoimmune diseases. Chairman of the Expert Committee of ECRIN (European Clinical Research Infrastructure Network).
Principal Investigator in more than 20 phase 1, 2 and 3 multicentre clinical trials in the areas of rheumatology, vascular medicine and thrombosis.
Recipient of multiple national and international research grants and research awards in the past 30 years. Author of more than 120 original papers and book chapters and supervisor of several PhD and masters students.

Denis Wahl has been involved in antiphospholipid syndrome (APS) research for over 25 years, supported by funding from Nancy University, Nancy University Hospital, the Programme Hospitalier de Recherche Clinique (French Ministry of Health), Fondation de France, and INSERM. In 2004, we established an Antiphospholipid Antibodies Investigator network in France for the TACT-TACIT and subsequent studies, and have continued collaborative research since then. We participated in the workshop that formulated the International Consensus Statement, which updated the classification criteria for definite antiphospholipid syndrome (APS) in 2004 in Sydney, with the criteria published in 2006. I also worked alongside Prof. Erkan (ACR primary investigator, USA) and Prof. Zuily (EULAR primary investigator, France) on the ACR/EULAR criteria task force for APS, recently published. I have served on the National Advisory Committee for the International aPL Symposium in Tours in 2000 and have been a member of the International Advisory Committee for the International aPL Congresses since 2013. Since its inception in 2010, I have participated in the APS ACTION international clinical research working group. With extensive experience in Antiphospholipid Antibodies research, several studies are currently underway in our center. Additionally, I have served as the General Coordinator of the European Forum on Antiphospholipid Antibodies since 2018.

Sofia Silva Ribeiro is a clinical psychologist and health psychology researcher. Currently as a PhD student at ISCTE-IUL University Institute of Lisbon, her project aims to investigate psychological, behavioral and social factors that can promote a positive adjustment to Lupus and develop a digital intervention to promote them.

Paulo J. Oliveira is currently Principal Investigator with “Agregação” at the CNC – Center for Neuroscience and Cell Biology, University of Coimbra, Portugal. He is the current leader of the “Mitochondria, Metabolism and Disease” group and of the MitoXT: Mitochondrial Toxicology and Experimental Therapeutics laboratory. 

He received his Bachelor of Science in Biochemistry from the University de Coimbra in 1999. In 2003, he completed his PhD in Cellular Biology from the same University. After completing his doctorate, Paulo Oliveira spent more than three years working at the University of Minnesota Medical School, Duluth, USA, where he collaborated with several researchers and contributed to the publication of several peer-reviewed manuscripts. Paulo Oliveira’s current research focuses on mitochondrial metabolism, namely alterations resulting from aging and lifestyle-related diseases, and on investigating strategies to preserve mitochondrial function across the lifespan for a healthy aging. Paulo has over 300 peer-reviewed publications (h-index=53) and many collaborations in Europe, South and North America. He has also received several prizes from the Portuguese Cardiology Society for his work on cardiac mitochondrial research. Besides research, Paulo Oliveira is often involved in teaching at the Department of Life Sciences, University of Coimbra, as well as in other Universities in Portugal and elsewhere, besides in numerous science communication activities. Of importance, he has maintained a consistent primary role in the organization of national and international scientific meetings, including the International Courses in Toxicology (2005-2010 in Coimbra), Annual Meeting of the European Society for Clinical Investigation (2013, Albufeira, Portugal and 2019, Coimbra, Portugal), the 2014 Meeting of the Portuguese Biochemical Society, and FEBS Advanced Lecture Courses in Oncometabolism (2017, Figueira da Foz, Portugal and 2019 Luso, Portugal). 

From May 2019 to June 2022, Paulo Oliveira was also President of the European Society for Clinical Investigation, after being its Vice-President for 2 years. Paulo Oliveira has also been a reviewer for more than 40 scientific journals and over 10 different funding agencies, including the European Commission (Research Executive Agency) and the Portuguese Foundation for Science and Technology. His research group is supported by competitive national and international funding agencies, including the Portuguese Foundation for Science and Technology, the European Commission, and private foundations. 

Since 2020, Paulo is Vice-President of the CNC – Center for Neuroscience and Cell Biology, University of Coimbra, Portugal. He is also the former Coordinator of the Doctoral Program in Experimental Biology and Biomedicine at the same University.

As an entrepreneur, Paulo is also co-founder of the start-up MitoTAG, which develops mitochondria-directed antioxidant with applications in cosmetics and human health, and is co-inventor in several patents.

Diogo Jesus is a rheumatologist with a specialized focus on systemic lupus erythematosus (SLE) and currently practicing at Leiria Hospital Centre. He is pursuing a PhD focused on the development of  improved outcome measures for SLE disease activity. Diogo completed his Rheumatology Fellowship at Centro Hospitalar e Universitário de Coimbra and gained international experience through fellowships, notably an SLE-specific clinical fellowship in Padua, Italy. Diogo is actively involved in SLE research, with multiple publications in peer-reviewed journals and awards in SLE field and contributes to EULAR educational initiatives as a faculty member of the EULAR Online Course for Systemic Lupus Erythematosus. He is also a member of scientific societies, including the Portuguese Society of Rheumatology, the Emerging EULAR Network (EMEUNET) and the European Lupus Society.

Secretary General elected of the European Academy of Dermatology and Venereology (EADV), Sub-Director of the Faculty of Medicine, University of Coimbra (FMUC) (since 2024), Invited Professor of Dermatology, FMUC (since 2015), with Aggregation in 2022.

Chair of the Dermatology Department, University Hospital of Coimbra, Local Health Unit of Coimbra, E.P.E. (since 2022), responsible for the unit of Cutaneous Allergy and the GA2LEN Urticaria and Angioedema Center of Reference and Excellence (UCARE and ACARE) and the consultations of Atopic Dermatitis, Chronic Urticaria and Immuno-inflammatory skin diseases, including Lupus Erythematosus.

Session Editor of Contact Dermatitis and Journal of the EADV (until dec 2023), Editor-in-Chief of the Journal of the Portuguese Society of Dermatology. 

Author/co-author of 25 book chapters, >300 papers in peer-reviewed journals mostly on contact dermatitis, drug eruptions, urticaria, atopic dermatitis and other immune mediated skin diseases and more than 250 invited lectures.

Pediatric Rheumatologist and Pediatric Nephrologist at Hospital de Santa Maria, Lisbon, Portugal

Assistant Professor of Pediatrics, Faculdade de Medicina, Universidade de Lisboa

Researcher at Instituto de Medicina Molecular: principal investigator of several translational projects focusing on lupus pathogenesis

Member of the Portuguese National Committee on Vaccines

Member of the Board of the Portuguese Pediatric Nephrology Society

Carlos Vasconcelos graduated in Medicine, University of Porto in 1976, specialized in Internal Medicine in 1987 and received his PhD in 2007, University of Porto, with Epidemiology of Systemic Lupus Erythematosus. He had his entire clinical career at Hospital Santo António (HAS), Porto dedicated to the field of Clinical Immunology – immunodeficiencies, HIV and autoimmune diseases-, except for a short internship with Prof. Yehuda Shoenfeld, TelAviv.

He was the head of the Ambulatory Department at HSA, coordinator of the Hospital Infection Control Commission and founder and director of the Clinical Immunology Unit (UIC) until retirement from public service in 2016, where he still work as a collaborator.

He was a guest full Professor of the Medicine course at Instituto de Ciências Biomédicas Abel Salazar (ICBAS), University of Porto, and he is still a collaborator professor.

Between 2017 and 2022 he worked at the Tâmega and Vale de Sousa Hospital Center and was the co-founder of the Autoimmune Diseases Unit.

He is responsible, in collaboration with his colleagues at UIC, for organizing the HSA Clinical Immunology Courses since 1992, the PAM – Porto’s Autoimmune Meeting since 2010 and the I&I – Infection and Immunity, since 2011. He was the president of the 8th European Lupus Meeting, Porto 2011, honorary president of the 11th International Congress on Autoimmunity in 2018, and is part of the international organizing committees of the European Lupus Meeting, the International Congress on SLE and Autoimmunity, as well as the national congresses of Internal Medicine and Infectious Diseases and AIDS.He was member of the National Commission to fight AIDS since its creation and of the national group for recommendations for monitoring HIV disease and the National Coordination for HIV/AIDS infection. He was member of the ICBAS One Health Working Group, 2020-2023, co-author of publications on the field.He cooperates with Guinea-Bissau health system since 1997.He is member of European networks such as Euro-Lupus, Euro-Phospholipid, Biolupus, EULAR’s Task Force on SLE and global networks such as the Consortium of Autoimmune Centers, Lupus Nephritis Trials Network and the PRECISESADS project. Elected to the board of the European association for Systemic Lupus Erythematosus – SLEuro (2021-24).He is the author or co-author of more than 180 publications in indexed international journals (h-index 45; 16,139 citations).In 2016 he was awarded the national prize for Internal Medicine, established for the first time by the Portuguese Society of Internal Medicine.

Maria José Santos is the Director of the Rheumatology Department of the Hospital Garcia de Orta in Almada. She is also Associated Professor of Rheumatology at the Faculty of Medicine, University of Lisbon, member of the Coordination Board of the Rheumatic Diseases Portuguese Register (Reuma.pt) and member of the National Ethics Committee for Clinical Research.

Her main areas of interest are connective tissue diseases, rheumatic diseases of childhood and co-morbidity in systemic rheumatic diseases.

Professor Santos acts as reviewer for several medical journals and has authored more than 250 scientific papers (orcid.org/0000-0002-7946-1365).

Professor of Rheumatology at the University of Beira Interior and at the University of Coimbra, in Portugal. He leads the CHUC Lupus Clinic, at the Rheumatology Department, Coimbra University Hospital Centre (CHUC), in Portugal.

Professor Inês is Principal Investigator of the CHUC Lupus Cohort, a long-term prospective cohort study of outcomes and disease measures in SLE. He leads the research group that developed the SLE Disease Activity Score (SLE-DAS).

He is a Clinician-Scientist leading multicentre international and national clinical research projects, including with the Rheumatic Diseases Portuguese Registry (Reuma.pt) from the Portuguese Society of Rheumatology, with over 2600 SLE patients in follow-up.

Professor Inês is an expert collaborating with the EULAR – European League Against Rheumatism committees for the SLE Management recommendations, and the OMERACT SLE Working Group.

He is elected to be President of the SLEuro – European Lupus Society, for 2025-2026. He will co-chair the 2026 European Lupus Meeting in Lisbon, Portugal.