Dr. Peter Gregersen

Dr. Peter K. Gregersen received his MD from Columbia University College of Physicians and Surgeons in 1976. He has been an international leader in defining the genetics of rheumatoid arthritis and other autoimmune diseases. In the 1990’s he founded and led the North American Rheumatoid Arthritis Consortium (NARAC). There are now over 100 confirmed regions of genetic associations with RA; his recent studies in this area have defined the role of risk alleles in regulating quantitative immune traits relevant to autoimmunity. His other research interests include the genetic and environmental contributions to neurocognitive phenotypes: absolute pitch, synesthesia, and autistic spectrum disorder (ASD).  Most recently, Dr. Gregersen has turned his attention to the study of endometriosis and has developed potential diagnostic approaches to this disorder through the analysis of menstrual effluent. Dr. Gregersen is a recipient of the Distinguished Basic Investigator Award from the American College of Rheumatology and was elected to membership in the Association of American Physicians in 2009. He was awarded the Crafoord Prize from the Royal Swedish Academy of Sciences in 2013 for his lifetime of work on rheumatoid arthritis.