Leadership History

1985-1994

Dr. Gall was the first board-certified rheumatologist to come to the University of Arizona in 1973, and served as a member of the University of Arizona College of Medicine faculty for 27 years. He held multiple leadership positions, including establishing and directing the fellowship program for Rheumatology and serving as Chief of the Rheumatology/Allergy & Immunology Division. He was the founding Director of the University of Arizona Arthritis Center, Associate Director of the NIH-sponsored multidisciplinary Southwest Arthritis Center, and held the Charles A. L. and Suzanne M. Stephens Endowed Chair in Rheumatology. Dr. Gall also served as Chair of the Department of Medicine at the Chicago Medical School, Rosalind Franklin University of Medicine and Science for 15 years.

 1994-2005

David Yocum, MD, is an internationally known arthritis researcher, speaker and author.  He earned his medical degree from the University of Florida, and held appointments at the University of Wisconsin and the National Institutes of Health prior to the becoming director of the University of Arizona Arthritis Center. His studies included the basic mechanisms of arthritis, including the role of stress, hormones and immunity as causes of rheumatoid arthritis; the epidemiology of arthritis and lupus in Native Americans and Hispanics; and the development of new therapies in the treatment of arthritis, especially during the early stages of disease.

 2005-2008

Dr. Lisse served as professor of medicine and as the Ethel McChesney Bilby Endowed Chair in Osteoporosis since his arrival at the U of A in 2000. In addition to holding the title of interim director of the University of Arizona Arthritis Center, he also served as chief of the UA Division of Rheumatology. He was named medical director of the Arizona Telemedicine Program in 2015. After leaving the U of A, Dr. Lisse assumed the role of medical fellow for Eli Lilly and Company, leading medical education efforts for physicians, pharmacists and arthritis patients throughout the United States.

2008-2010

Salvatore Albani, MD, PhD, is an internationally-renowned rheumatologist and immunologist. His fundamental research interest is in understanding human immunity and contributing the knowledge to therapeutic and diagnostic advancements. He has developed several innovative approaches in the area of induction and maintenance of immune tolerance in humans, being responsible for the whole translational process from idea to the conclusion of a Phase II clinical trial in autoimmune inflammatory diseases, which have a large impact on society and individuals.

 2010-2013

Upon retirement as Chair of the Department of Medicine at Chicago Medical School, Rosalind Franklin University, Dr. Gall returned to the University of Arizona to serve as interim director of the Arthritis Center. A national expert on innovative teaching methods, Dr. Gall was active on many committees addressing teaching methods and curricula at the medical school level and in the specialty of rheumatology. He maintained a strong interest in developing educational programs for training primary care physicians, medical students and residents. Dr. Gall was widely published on rheumatology, including articles in Arthritis and Rheumatism, the Journal of Clinical Rheumatology, Journal of the American Medical Association (JAMA), Journal of Rheumatology, and American Family Physician.

In recognition of his innovations in teaching, the Eric P. Gall, MD, Endowed Lectureship was established in 2015.

2013-present

An internationally-recognized expert in the identification, development and progression of osteoarthritis and the characterization of pain patterns in osteoarthritis, Dr. C. Kent Kwoh serves as director of the University of Arizona Arthritis Center, one of the first four Centers of Excellence in the University of Arizona College of Medicine. He is a distinguished emeritus professor of medicine and medical imaging in the University of Arizona College of Medicine - Tucson, and the recently-retired chief of the division of rheumatology. He also holds the Charles A.L. and Suzanne M. Stephens Endowed Chair in Rheumatology and serves as associate director of the rheumatology fellowship program. He was named to these positions in July, 2013.

 In 2023, Dr. Kwoh was named Master of the American College of Rheumatology - one of the highest honors bestowed by the College upon its distinguished members. The designation of Master is conferred on ACR members, age 65 or older, who have made outstanding contributions to the field of rheumatology through scholarly achievement and/or service to their patients, students, and the rheumatology profession. He is the author or co-author of more than 300 scientific journal articles and book chapters and has total career funding from the NIH of over $75 million – continuous since 1989.