Dr. Gary Firestein is a distinguished rheumatologist and leader in clinical and translational research at the forefront of academic medicine. He currently serves as the Founding Director of the Altman Clinical and Translational Research Institute and Senior Associate Vice Chancellor of Health Sciences at the University of California San Diego. After earning his MD from Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine in 1980, he completed his residency at UCLA and specialized in rheumatology through fellowships at Sanford Burnham Prebys Medical Discovery Institute and UC San Diego. Dr. Firestein joined the UCSD School of Medicine faculty as Assistant Professor of Medicine in 1988 and later served as Director of Immunology at Gensia, Inc. before returning to UCSD where he has held progressively influential leadership positions for over two decades.
Dr. Firestein's pioneering research has fundamentally transformed our understanding of rheumatoid arthritis pathogenesis and treatment approaches. He was among the first researchers to map the cytokine profile of rheumatoid arthritis, demonstrating the critical dominance of macrophage and fibroblast products in disease progression. These seminal studies provided the foundational evidence that catalyzed the development of highly effective anti-TNF and other anti-cytokine therapies that have revolutionized care for millions of patients worldwide. More recently, his work has helped define the role of signal transduction pathways and epigenetic mechanisms in rheumatoid arthritis, opening new avenues for targeted therapeutic interventions. His research contributions have been recognized with numerous prestigious awards including the international Carol-Nachman Prize for outstanding contributions to rheumatology research.
Beyond his research accomplishments, Dr. Firestein has significantly shaped the field through leadership roles including chairperson of the FDA Arthritis Advisory Committee and service on multiple national committees for the American College of Rheumatology and Arthritis Foundation. He has been elected to the American Society for Clinical Investigation and the Association of American Physicians, reflecting his standing as a thought leader in academic medicine. As co-founder of Ignyta, Inc., which developed entrectinib for cancer treatment before its acquisition by Roche, he exemplifies the translation of scientific discovery into clinical impact. Currently, Dr. Firestein continues to advance translational research through his leadership of the UC BRAID consortium and ongoing investigations into novel therapeutic targets for autoimmune diseases, maintaining his position at the vanguard of rheumatology research and clinical innovation.
