Federation of Clinical Immunological Societies (FOCIS) Center

The purpose of Hospital for Special Surgery’s (HSS) Federation of Clinical Immunological Societies (FOCIS) Center is to support research programs, clinical initiatives, education, and advocacy, leading to improved understanding, effective therapies, and prevention of systemic and organ-targeted immune system diseases.

The specific aims of the center are to:

• Establish collaborative basic and translational research projects that address the diverse manifestations of immune system diseases.
• Establish core facilities, clinical registries, and educational activities that will support the collaborative research activities.
• Develop a clinical research program that will test novel interventions to ameliorate systemic and organ-targeted immune system diseases.

Related Centers

• Lupus and APS Center of Excellence

Director

Theresa Lu, MD, PhD
Associate Scientist, Autoimmunity and Inflammation Program and Pediatric Rheumatology
Hospital for Special Surgery

Associate Director

Alessandra Pernis, MD
George Kalliolias, MD, PhD

FOCIS Committee Members

Lionel Ivashkiv, MD
Alessandra Pernis, MD
Jane E. Salmon, MD
Kendall A. Smith, MD
Manikkam Suthanthiran, MD

Participating Faculty

Peggy Crow, MD – rheumatology
Doruk Erkan, MD – rheumatology (SLE and APS)
Kyriakos Kirou, MD – rheumatology (SLE)
Lionel Ivashkiv, MD – rheumatology (RA and SLE)
Ira Jacobsen, MD – gastroenterology (hepatology)
John Leonard, MD – hematology/oncology (lymphoma)
Michael Lockshin, MD - rheumatology (SLE and APS)
Alessandra Pernis, MD – immunology
Jane E. Salmon, MD - rheumatology
Kendall A. Smith, MD – immunology
Robert Spiera, MD – rheumatology (scleroderma and vasculitis)
Manikkam Suthanthiran, MD – nephrology (transplant)