Dr. Philip J. Mease is a distinguished rheumatologist and leading authority in inflammatory arthritis research. He currently serves as Director of Rheumatology Research at Swedish Medical Center and Providence St. Joseph Health while holding a position as Clinical Professor at the University of Washington School of Medicine in Seattle. After earning his medical degree from Stanford University in 1977, he completed his residency and fellowship in rheumatology at the University of Washington School of Medicine, establishing a foundation for his pioneering career in rheumatic diseases. Dr. Mease has maintained a clinical practice at Seattle Rheumatology Associates for over two decades, where he applies his extensive expertise to patient care while advancing the field through research and education.
Dr. Mease's groundbreaking research has significantly advanced the understanding and treatment of psoriatic arthritis and spondyloarthritis, with his work establishing him as the most published expert worldwide in psoriatic arthritis according to Expertscape rankings. He has authored over 500 peer-reviewed journal articles, book chapters, and numerous abstracts while editing seminal textbooks on psoriatic arthritis and axial spondyloarthritis that have shaped clinical practice. His leadership in developing outcome measures through the Outcome Measures in Rheumatology initiative has standardized assessment methodologies used globally in clinical trials for rheumatic diseases. Dr. Mease's research on pain mechanisms and therapeutic interventions has profoundly influenced treatment paradigms for rheumatoid arthritis, psoriatic arthritis, ankylosing spondylitis, and fibromyalgia, directly impacting patient care standards worldwide.
As the past president and founding organizer of the Group for Research and Assessment of Psoriasis and Psoriatic Arthritis, Dr. Mease has been instrumental in building an international collaborative network that has accelerated research progress in this specialized field. He continues to serve in influential roles including Co-Chair of the ACR-EULAR Psoriatic Arthritis task force and as a key advisor to the US Food and Drug Administration on rheumatology clinical trial design. Dr. Mease actively mentors the next generation of rheumatologists while maintaining his commitment to physician and public education about rheumatic diseases, for which he received the American College of Rheumatology's Educator of the Year award. His current research focuses on sex-based analysis of treatment effectiveness in psoriatic arthritis and digital measurement tools for assessing morning stiffness in axial spondyloarthritis, continuing his legacy of innovation in rheumatology research methodology and patient-centered outcomes.
