The Arthritis Foundation strives to accelerate translational and clinical research to develop new treatments and innovative solutions to ensure a better quality of life for both patients and their families. As part of this mission, the Arthritis Foundation hosts and partners on scientific conferences throughout the year to foster collaboration, share research breakthroughs and advance the field of rheumatology. These events bring together researchers, clinicians and stakeholders to drive progress in arthritis care and innovation.

Upcoming Conferences  

Past Meetings & Symposia 

Inflammatory Arthritis Research Summit 

The Inflammatory Arthritis Research Summit expands on connections and progress made during the 2024 Rheumatoid Arthritis Summit. It brought together the clinical, basic and translational inflammatory arthritis research communities to share cutting-edge research and the current and future approaches to care for individuals with autoimmune and inflammatory arthritis. 

February 20 - 21, 2026, at the Hospital for Special Surgery, New York, NY

2026 Arthritis Foundation Osteoarthritis Clinical Trial Network Investigators Forum

The Arthritis Foundation hosted the OA Clinical Trials Network members’ meeting. The meeting included the latest updates from the clinical trials portfolio, including the network-driven PIKASO trial, discussed challenges and opportunities at the project sites/centers to improve project performance and generated greater progress toward interventions for OA. The preparation for the next network-driven trial was also discussed.

February 26–27, 2026, at the Atlanta Airport Marriott Gateway, Atlanta, GA 30337 

Foot & Ankle Arthritis Think Tank at the AOFAS Winter Meeting 2026

This full-day program focused on best practices and innovations in the treatment of foot and ankle osteoarthritis (separate registration and additional $50 fee required to attend).

Community Health & Workforce Summit 

The summit showcased the Foundation’s commitment to strengthening the rheumatology workforce and improving outcomes for people with arthritis. Speakers shared updates on patient education, community and advocacy initiatives, and the summit featured grantee presentations that highlighted efforts to cultivate the next generation of health care professionals. 

Think Tank: PROs in Arthritis Care   

Hosted by Northwestern University and the Arthritis Foundation, this event focused on identifying and addressing the use of patient-reported outcomes (PROs) in the care continuum for arthritis patients. The roundtable event examined the existing literature, knowledge gaps, new innovations and practices related to PROs in patient care across disciplines and specialties.     

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Think Tank: Clinical Research Gaps in Prevention and Treatment of Hip Osteoarthritis  

Co-hosted by the American Orthopaedic Society for Sports Medicine and the Arthritis Foundation, this Think Tank explored hip preservation and hip osteoarthritis (OA) prevention. Topics included FAI, hip dysplasia, early diagnosis outreach and joint capsule management. Experts addressed imaging, surgical, cellular and physical therapy approaches with a focus on high-risk populations and active individuals. Emphasis was on the role of sports medicine surgeons in maintaining hip health. The event reviewed current research, innovations, knowledge gaps and best practices in hip OA clinical trials.