Beyond these objectives, Dr. Holers looks forward to participating with other members of the Foundation board and committees, its staff and dedicated volunteers to promote the Rheumatology Research Foundation in the coming year, while also clarifying the often-misunderstood connection between the Foundation and the ACR. The ACR and the Foundation work closely together, he says, but the ACR is a professional society, whereas the Foundation is a separate 501(c)(3) nonprofit organization, and the two organizations have different missions.
“At the Rheumatology Research Foundation, our mission is to support workforce development and research, and we are proud to be the second-largest funding source of rheumatology research and training programs in the U.S., behind only the National Institutes of Health,” says Dr. Holers. “As we move forward, we will continue to consider ways to advance research, build the workforce, and enhance our fundraising. Each one of those areas is an evolving discipline, and I look forward to discussing new ideas and approaches for each one, and integrating them into our programs.”
Leslie Mertz, PhD, is a freelance science journalist based in northern Michigan.
