Howley Prizes for Arthritis Research
The Lee C. Howley Sr. Prize for Arthritis Scientific Research and the Lee C. Howley Jr. Prize for Early Career Investigators in Arthritis Research recognize those who have committed to advancing the Arthritis Foundation’s scientific agenda.
The 2025 Lee C. Howley Sr. Prize Recipient
The Arthritis Foundation is pleased to announce the 2025 Lee C. Howley Sr. prize to Elaine Husni, MD, MPH. This award recognizes an early career physician-scientist who has made important contributions to arthritis-related research and has shown exceptional commitment to volunteer work through the Foundation.
Dr. Husni received her undergraduate education from Boston College, her master’s and medical degrees from Boston University School of Medicine, completed her residency at Beth Israel Deaconess Medical Center and Harvard Medical School, and fellowship at Brigham & Women's Hospital. She is currently the vice chair in the department of rheumatic and immunologic diseases at Cleveland Clinic.
Trained in rheumatology with a career-long emphasis on improving outcomes in inflammatory arthritis, her research integrates patient-reported outcomes, precision medicine, and immunologic mechanisms underlying treatment response and nonresponse. She is the recipient of the Arthritis Foundation Rheumatoid Arthritis Research Program grant, “Defining a Personalized Treatment Approach to Rheumatoid Arthritis: Using Genetic Markers of TNFi Response,” and has shared her work nationally, including at the RA Research Summit. Her program bridges rigorous science with real-world impact to advance individualized care and quality of life for patients living with arthritis.
Dr. Husni’s Arthritis Foundation volunteer service began as a rheumatology trainee, helping lead early community health and fundraising efforts — including a Boston-area 5K event. Since then, she has served locally and nationally across the Foundation’s medical and scientific activities, supported major fundraising events such as Walk to Cure Arthritis and Silver Spoons, and participated in multiple think tank initiatives (patient-reported outcomes, psoriatic arthritis and rheumatoid arthritis). She also contributes to the Arthritis Foundation Science & Industry Consortium to strengthen collaboration among academia, clinicians and industry, and regularly supports Living Well patient education.
“I’m deeply honored and grateful to receive the 2025 Howley Sr. Prize. The Arthritis Foundation has shaped my career since training, and this recognition fuels my commitment to arthritis research and patients,” says Dr. Husni.
The 2025 Lee C. Howley Jr. Prize Recipient
The Arthritis Foundation has awarded the 2025 Lee C. Howley Jr. Prize to Mileka Gilbert, MD, PhD. This award recognizes physician-scientists who have made important contributions to arthritis-related research and have shown exceptional commitment to volunteer work through the Foundation.
Dr. Gilbert, associate professor of pediatrics and senior associate dean for engagement, at the Medical University of South Carolina (MUSC), completed undergraduate studies at the University of Maryland Baltimore County in 2001. She then earned her MD and PhD degrees in 2009 from the University of North Carolina. She completed her training in general pediatrics at the Virginia Commonwealth University Health System in 2012 and went on to complete fellowship training in pediatric rheumatology at the University of Texas Southwestern Medical Center in Dallas in 2015. She joined the faculty in the Department of Pediatrics at MUSC in 2015 where she is the principal investigator for the Pediatric Rheumatology Care & Outcomes Improvement Network. Dr. Gilbert has led quality improvement and implementation science work to improve disease and mental health outcomes of children with juvenile arthritis and other rheumatic diseases.
She has served on the Arthritis Foundation Medical and Scientific Advisory Committee, Community Health Expert Working Group. Dr. Gilbert is also the co-chair of the Arthritis Foundation Community Health and Workforce Summit and is now serving on the Vaccine Policy Taskforce. She has also reviewed grant proposals for Arthritis Foundation awards and participated in Jingle Bell Runs.
“I am very honored to receive this award especially from an organization that inspires inclusive and collaborative teamwork in the holistic care of children with juvenile arthritis,” says Dr. Gilbert.
See past Howley Prize recipients.
Prize Criteria
Prize
A prize of $10,000 is presented by the Arthritis Foundation. Support is provided by a generous endowment from the Howley Family. Prize recipients must apply the prize funds toward the field of arthritis research (e.g., travel to a professional meeting to present findings, mentoring a student, laboratory costs, publication costs, etc.).
Eligibility
Presented to an individual researcher based at a US institution who demonstrates a strong commitment to advancing arthritis research, including impacting patient outcomes and quality of life. The recipient’s research contributions should significantly advance the understanding, treatment or prevention of arthritis and related diseases. In addition, the individual will also have demonstrated an exceptional commitment to volunteer work through the Arthritis Foundation, with a notable impact in furthering the Foundation’s mission. Nominations will be made by the Foundation’s National Medical and Scientific Advisory Committee and Foundation staff. Self-nominations and posthumous nominations will not be accepted. Past recipients are not eligible (however, prior recipients of the Junior Prize are eligible for the Senior Prize). Nominations will take place in September and October.
Frequency
One prize is given each year. The recipient will be notified in December of that year. A formal announcement and in-person prize presentation will occur at the Arthritis Foundation Pathways conference (usually held in the Spring of the following year).
Lee C. Howley Jr. Prize for Early Career Investigators in Arthritis Research
Prize
A prize of $5,000 is presented by the Arthritis Foundation. Support is provided by a generous endowment from the Howley Family. Prize recipients must apply the prize funds toward the field of arthritis research (e.g., travel to a professional meeting to present findings, mentoring a student, laboratory costs, publication costs, etc.).
Eligibility
Presented to an early career researcher based at a US institution who demonstrates a firm commitment to arthritis research, including impacting patient outcomes and quality of life. The individual should have a strong scientific track record and a record of service to the Arthritis Foundation. The individual must have held an independent, full time faculty position for no more than 10 years at the time of nomination. Full professors are not eligible. Nominations will be made by the Foundation’s National Medical and Scientific Advisory Committee and Foundation staff. Self-nominations and posthumous nominations will not be accepted. Past recipients are not eligible. Nominations will take place in September and October.
Frequency
One prize is given each year. The recipient will be invited to attend the Arthritis Foundation Pathways conference (usually held in the Spring) for an in-person prize presentation.
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