Profile in Research: Edward H. Giannini, MSc, DrPH
Edward H. Giannini, MSc, DrPH, is currently a Professor of Pediatrics and research scientist in the Rheumatology Division of the Cincinnati Children’s Hospital Medical Center. He received his first Arthritis Foundation grant in 1989 to combine all the data from 14 antirheumatic drug trials in juvenile arthritis that the Pediatric Rheumatology Collaborative Study Group had done to date. He received another grant in 1993 to develop outcome measures to be used in clinical trials that involve children with juvenile arthritis. The outcome measures have now been accepted by both the Food and Drug Administration and the American College of Rheumatology, and are known as the ACR Pediatric 30.
We were able to catch up with Dr. Giannini recently to find out what he’s been up to over the past 17 years since landing his first Arthritis Foundation grant.
What is your current field of research?
Over the years, I have continued to work with the Pediatric Rheumatology Collaborative Study Group on a number of drug trials in children with arthritis. I also conduct studies to validate the quality measurement tools we use.
Has your research played a role in the improvement, treatment or prevention of arthritis?
Yes, our team has tested many new drugs, and I led a team in the creation of the ACR Pediatric 30 – a definition of improvement in juvenile arthritis that is used universally when evaluating the efficacy of treatment in children with juvenile arthritis.
Have you trained other researchers?
Yes, I’ve trained 22 researchers and fellows.
What other institutions have provided funding for your research?
I’ve received research support from the National Institutes of Health, the FDA and numerous pharmaceutical companies.
What has been the impact of your Arthritis Foundation award on your career?
The grant I received in 1993 provided funding for the development of the ACR Pediatric 30. It was also that funding that led to my associate professor position and eventually to my tenured professorship. Another national Arthritis Foundation award, the Virginia P. Engalitcheff Award for Impact on Quality of Life, was presented to me in 2002. This was looked upon by my peers as a “lifetime achievement” award, and remains one of the most proud and humbling moments of my career.
What role do you feel the Arthritis Foundation plays in the progress of arthritis research?
The Foundation has played a tremendous role of late in the funding of the new pediatric rheumatology research network known as Childhood Arthritis and Rheumatology Research Alliance (CARRA). This funding has allowed important investigator-initiated protocols to be pursued that would likely not have been otherwise.
Are you currently involved with the Arthritis Foundation?
Yes, I’m a volunteer on the local level.
When you’re not in the clinic, where can you most often be found?
In my research office.
What good, non-medical book have you read lately?
Before the Dawn: Recovering the Lost History of Our Ancestors, by Nicholas Wade.
What is your favorite type of music and do you have a favorite musical artist?
My father was a professional jazz musician and I’ve always been biased. My daughter plays the tenor sax in a high school jazz band, so again, I’m biased.
If you weren’t a medical researcher, what would you be doing now?
I began college as a mechanical engineer major and perhaps I’d still be in engineering, if I hadn’t looked under that microscope for the first time.
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