The University of Alberta announced that Jan Willem Cohen Tervaert, MD, PhD, will be honored with the Lifetime Contribution to Autoimmunity Award at the International Congress on Autoimmunity in May 2024. Dr. Cohen Tervaert currently serves as a rheumatologist, clinical immunologist, and internal medicine specialist in the Division of Rheumatology in the Faculty of Medicine & Dentistry at the University of Alberta. His research has focused on vasculitis and the development of rheumatic diseases following procedures such as breast, hip, and knee implants, as well as soft-tissue repairs using synthetic surgical materials. Throughout his career, he has made several breakthrough discoveries—including that myeloperoxidase–anti-neutrophil cytoplasmic antibody and proteinase 3–anti-neutrophil cytoplasmic antibody tests may be used to diagnose vasculitis, and surgically implanted polypropylene mesh may contribute to the development of autoimmune syndrome. He also founded the Autoimmunity Consortium, North American Vascular Biology Organization, and Dutch Vasculitis Study Group, as well as worked to mentor the next generation of medical students, residents, and junior staff members at the University of Alberta. He is currently exploring fatigue in patients with autoimmune diseases and potential treatment options for long COVID. “This is a very important award for people in the autoimmune disease research community. It’s a tremendous honor,” concluded Dr. Cohen Tervaert.
April 11, 2024