To broaden academic horizons, enhance clinical diagnosis and treatment capabilities, and promote discipline development, the Department of Rheumatology of Guangdong Provincial People’s Hospital invited Prof. Gerd R. Burmester, an internationally renowned rheumatology expert, former President of the European Alliance of Associations for Rheumatology (EULAR), and current Director of the Department of Rheumatology and Clinical Immunology at Charité – Universitätsmedizin Berlin, for an academic exchange on the afternoon of May 21, 2024.
Prof. Burmester served as the President of the German Society for Rheumatology (DGRh) from 2001 to 2002, President of EULAR from 2015 to 2017, and Chairman of the Board of the Foundation for Research in Rheumatology (FOREUM) from 2017 until June 2023. In 2019, he was awarded the Master designation, the highest honor of the American College of Rheumatology (ACR), and in 2022, he received the Meritorious Service Award from EULAR. He has published over 950 original and review articles, with research interests including targeted immunotherapy, rheumatoid arthritis, psoriatic arthritis, Lyme disease, and inflammatory joint diseases.
The academic exchange involved multidisciplinary experts from the Department of Rheumatology, Cardiology, Respiratory, and Radiology, with nearly 50 participants including rotating physicians and postgraduates. The exchange meeting was hosted by Dr. Li Yang, the Chief of the Department of Rheumatology.
Dr. Li Yang first introduced the long history and future prospects of Guangdong Provincial People’s Hospital, followed by a detailed overview of the current state of development and specialized features of the Department of Rheumatology. Prof. Burmester then visited the rheumatology ward, conducting thorough patient interviews and physical examinations. Notably, he engaged warmly with a patient who had traveled and lived in Germany for an extended period. Beyond his extensive academic knowledge and clinical experience, Prof. Burmester’s humanistic care left a deep impression on the young doctors.
During the difficult case MDT discussion, Prof. Burmester participated alongside experts from relevant disciplines, including Associate Chief Physician Dr. Jiang Xin from Department of Cardiology, Associate Chief Physician Dr. Wu Haijun from Department of Radiology, and Dr. Zhao Manzhi from the Department of Respiratory and Critical Care Medicine. The discussion delved into a rare case, with Prof. Burmester offering valuable suggestions and guidance. He highly praised the diagnostic and treatment level of the Department of Rheumatology, expressing that he fully enjoyed the academic atmosphere and looked forward to his next visit.
Subsequently, Prof. Burmester delivered a lecture on “Long-term Application Strategies of JAK Inhibitors in Inflammation Control,” sharing the development history of rheumatology medications, the clinical application of new small molecule targeted drugs, and the latest trends in international prospective clinical research. During the interaction session, Prof. Burmester actively engaged with our hospital’s doctors, stating that he would closely follow future clinical research results from Chinese rheumatology patients.
Dr. Li Yang concluded the academic exchange by expressing gratitude for Prof. Burmester’s visit. She remarked that this exchange provided a valuable learning opportunity for the department’s medical staff and emphasized the department’s commitment to continuing international medical collaboration to improve clinical diagnosis and treatment, benefiting a broad range of patients and driving the high-quality development of the hospital.
Lin Haobo
Updated: May 24, 2024
