A multidisciplinary summit on inflammatory arthritis research, covering biomarkers, biologics, precision medicine, and emerging therapeutic advances. 2026 Inflammatory Arthritis Research Summit

Hospital for Special Surgery

535 East 70th Street, New York, NY 10021

(Virtual option available)

Join Us for the 2026 Inflammatory Arthritis Research Summit!

The Arthritis Foundation's Inflammatory Arthritis Research Summit, held at the Hospital for Special Surgery, will bring together leaders from across the inflammatory arthritis research community to share and discuss cutting-edge advancements in the field. Sessions will focus on emerging therapies, the role of sex and gender, epigenetic regulation, and pain in inflammatory arthritis. Arthritis Foundation Rheumatoid Arthritis Research Program Awardees will also present progress on their funded awards.

Agenda Highlights

Feb 20, 2026

02/20/2026 08:30 am

Breakfast / Check In

02/20/2026 09:00 am

Opening Remarks

Steven Taylor, President & CEO, Arthritis Foundation

Others, such as Arthritis Foundation Staff or Meeting Co-Chairs

02/20/2026 09:15 am

Keynote Address I

Speaker Dennis McGonagle, University of Leeds


9:15 am – 10:00 am Presentation

10:00 am – 10:15 am Questions/Discussion

02/20/2026 10:15 am

Break

02/20/2026 10:30 am

Session 1: Emerging Therapies for Inflammatory Arthritis

Session Chair: TBD


10:30 am – 11:00 am

Talk 1- Topic: T cell Therapies in Inflammatory Arthritis

Speaker: Maximilian Konig, Johns Hopkins School of Medicine


11:00 am – 11:30 am

Talk 2- Topic: Stem cell-based therapies

Speaker: Farshid Guilak, Washington University


11:30 am – 12:00 pm

Talk 3- Topic: Cell-based therapies in Ankylosing Spondylitis

Speaker: Michael Paley, University of Washington


12:00 pm – 12:30 pm

Q & A / Discussion

02/20/2026 12:30 pm

Lunch: Patient Panel

Moderator: TBD

Panelists or speakers: Patient representatives as panelists

02/20/2026 01:30 pm

Session 2: Epigenetic Regulation in Inflammatory Arthritis

Session Chair: TBD


1:30 pm – 2:00 pm

Talk 1- Topic: Epigenetics in RA

Speaker: Gary Firestein, University of California, San Diego


2:00 pm – 2:30 pm

Talk 2- Topic: Epigenetic regulation of synovial fibroblasts

Speaker: Caroline Ospelt, University Hospital Zürich


2:30 pm – 2:45 pm

Q & A / Discussion

02/20/2026 02:45 pm

Break

02/20/2026 03:00 pm

Session 3: The Roles of Sex Chromosomes and Gender in Inflammatory Arthritis

Session Chair: TBD


3:00 pm – 3:30 pm

Talk 1- Topic: X chromosome inactivation in immune system regulation

Speaker: Montserrat Anguera, University of Pennsylvania


3:30 pm – 4:00 pm

Talk 2- Topic: Y chromosome loss in immune system regulation

Suggested Speaker: Kenneth Walsh, University of Virginia


4:00 pm – 4:30 pm

Talk 3- Topic: Sex/gender role in disease outcomes for patients with psoriatic arthritis

Speaker: Lihi Eder, University of Toronto


4:30 pm – 5:00 pm

Q & A / Discussion

02/20/2026 05:00 pm

Day 1 Closing Remarks

02/20/2026 05:15 pm

Reception with Poster Session

Feb 21, 2026

02/21/2026 07:15 am

Breakfast / Check In

02/21/2026 08:00 am

Keynote Address II

Dana Orange, Hospital for Special Surgery and Rockefeller University


8:00 am – 8:45 am Presentation

8:45 am – 9:00 am Questions/Discussion

02/21/2026 09:00 am

Session 4: Arthritis Foundation RA Research Program Awardees

Session Chair: TBD


9:00 am – 9:25 am

Talk 1- Award Title: Immunological determinants of the development of clinical rheumatoid arthritis evaluated in the pre-RA and early stages of disease

Suggested Speaker: Wen-Yuan Elena Hsieh, University of Colorado, Denver


9:25 am – 9:50 am

Talk 2- Award Title: Examination of Pathotype-specific Biology and Treatment Response using Microbioengineered and Rheumatoid Arthritis Patient-Derived Synovium-on-a-Chip

Speaker: Theresa Wampler Muskardin, Hospital for Special Surgery


9:50am – 10:15 am

Talk 3- Award Title: National Network to Prospectively Study Individuals at Risk for Rheumatoid Arthritis

Speaker: Christopher Striebich, University of Colorado Anschutz Medical Campus


10:15 am – 10:40 am

Talk 4- Award Title: Cellular Biomarkers for Risk and Progression of Subclinical Interstitial Lung Disease in Early Rheumatoid Arthritis

Speaker: Jeffrey Sparks, Brigham and Women’s Hospital


10:40 am – 11:00 am

Q & A / Discussion

02/21/2026 11:00 am

Break

02/21/2026 11:15 am

Lunch Session: Training and Career Development Opportunities for Early Career Researchers

Moderator: TBD

Speaker: Janelle Houserman, NIAMS Intramural Research Program

02/21/2026 12:15 pm

Break

02/21/2026 12:30 pm

Session 5: Pain in Inflammatory Arthritis

Session Chair: TBD


12:30 pm – 1:00 pm

Talk 1- Topic: Pain pathways in inflammatory arthritis

Speaker: Anne-Marie Malfait, Rush University


1:00 pm – 1:30 pm

Talk 2- Topic: Pain experience of those living

with inflammatory arthritis

Speaker: Yvonne Lee, Northwestern University


1:30 pm – 1:45 pm

Q & A / Discussion

02/21/2026 01:45 pm

Closing Remarks

02/21/2026 02:00 pm

Adjourn

Program Faculty

Summit Co-Chairs

  • Jennifer Anolik, MD, PhD
    University of Rochester Medical Center

  • S. Louis Bridges Jr., MD, PhD
    Hospital for Special Surgery

  • Mary K. Crow, MD
    Hospital for Special Surgery

  • V. Michael Holers, MD
    University of Colorado Anschutz Medical Campus

  • David Pisetsky, MD, PhD
    Duke University School of Medicine

  • Christopher Ritchlin, MD, MPH
    University of Rochester Medical Center

  • Anna Lampe, PhD
    Arthritis Foundation

Faculty

  • Montserrat C. Anguera, PhD
    University of Pennsylvania, School of Veterinary Medicine

  • Lihi Eder, MD, PhD
    University of Toronto, Institute of Medical Science

  • Gary S. Firestein, MD
    University of California, San Diego Health

  • Farshid Guilak, PhD
    Washington University Medicine

  • Janelle Hauserman, PhD
    NIAMS Intramural Research Program

  • Elena Hsieh, MD
    University of Colorado Anschutz School of Medicine

  • Maximilian F. Konig, MD
    Johns Hopkins Medicine

  • Yvonne C. Lee, MD
    Northwestern University Medicine

  • Anne-Marie Malfait, MD, PhD
    Rush University

  • Dennis McGonagle, FRCPI, PhD
    University of Leeds

  • Dana Orange, MD, MS
    Hospital for Special Surgery and Rockefeller University

  • Prof. Dr. med. Caroline Ospelt
    University of Zurich

  • Michael A. Paley, MD, PhD
    Washington University Medicine

  • Jeffrey A. Sparks, MD, MMSc
    Brigham and Women’s Hospital

  • Christopher Striebich, MD, PhD
    University of Colorado Hospital

  • Kenneth Walsh, PhD
    University of Virginia School of Medicine

  • Theresa Wampler Muskardin, MD
    Hospital for Special Surgery

Target Audience

This activity is targeted to researchers, preclinical to clinical, focused on inflammatory forms of arthritis, spanning all career levels, for a two-day conference focusing on unmet research needs, treatment, and pathophysiology in inflammatory forms of arthritis.

Learning Objectives

Hospital for Special Surgery Continuing Education activities are intended to improve the quality of patient care and safety. At the conclusion of this course, the participant will be able to:
  • Critically evaluate emerging therapeutic approaches for inflammatory arthritis.
  • Analyze the role of sex differences and epigenetic regulation in disease mechanisms and treatment response.
  • Examine the multidimensional aspects of pain in inflammatory arthritis and their impact on patient outcomes.
  • Integrate updates from Arthritis Foundation RA Research Program awardees to identify promising translational research directions.

Arthritis Foundation Logo

Important Event Information

For registration assistance or any other questions, contact HSS Continuing Education at 212.606.1057 or continuingeducation@hss.edu.

All registered participants will receive a confirmation via e-mail.

A handling fee of 10% will be deducted from the registration fee for cancellations. Refund requests must be received no later than one week prior to the course. No refund will be made thereafter.

Hospital for Special Surgery reserves the right to cancel this course. In the unlikely event the course is canceled, HSS will issue a full refund of the registration fee, but will not be responsible for any other charges incurred by the registrant due to the cancellation of the course.

This program may be recorded, filmed or photographed. By attending this program, you give permission to Hospital for Special Surgery to use your voice and likeness for any purpose (promotional, educational, or other), in any medium, and without remuneration of any kind to you.

Transportation

Airport: LaGuardia (LGA) is 8 miles northeast of the city. Kennedy International (JFK) is 15 miles southeast of the city. Newark International (EWR) is 16 miles southwest of the city.
Bus: M72, M31 stop at East 69th Street and York Avenue.
Subway: Nearest line is the Q train stop at East 72nd Street and Second Avenue or the 6 train stop at Lexington Avenue and 68th Street.
Car (FDR Drive): Driving south, exit at 71st Street. Driving north, exit at 63rd Street. Continue on York Avenue.


Parking and Accommodations

For information on parking and accommodations, please view our neighborhood directory. Local accommodations are limited and early reservations are recommended.