Firestein Lab

Dr. Gary Firestein

Dr. Gary Firestein’s work focuses on the pathogenesis and treatment of rheumatoid arthritis. His lab mapped the synovial cytokine profile of RA and demonstrated the dominance of macrophage and fibroblast products. These studies played a pivotal role in the development of the highly effective anti-TNF and other anti-cytokine approaches to RA. He has also dissected the kinome in RA synoviocytes and used this technology to identify and validate novel therapeutic targets. Recently, Dr. Firestein has mapped the epigenetic profile of the RA synovium and identified a unique DNA methylation signature in rheumatoid synoviocytes.

Dr. Firestein received his AB from Harvard College and MD from Johns Hopkins. After training in internal medicine at UCLA, he completed his fellowship in rheumatology at UCSD. He has served on the faculty at UCSD since 1996 and was chief of the Division of Rheumatology, Allergy and Immunology from 1998-2010. He currently serves as the Dean and Associate Vice Chancellor for Clinical and Translational Research at UCSD.

Research Highlights

Major Active Grants

NIH RePORTER list of projects with Dr. Firestein as PI:

• 5R01AR071321-04
  Joint-location specific pathogenic pathways in rheumatoid arthritis
• L1TR001442-08
  UC San Diego Clinical and Translational Research Institute
• 1U01AR079717-01A1
  Methotrexate treatment of Arthritis caused by Chikungunya virus (MARCH): A randomized controlled trial of methotrexate versus placebo in the treatment of chronic arthritis after chikungunya infection

In addition, numerous foundation and industry-sponsored grants.