FY2026 HMDP VISITING EXPERT IN MYOSITIS: PROF LISA CHRISTOPHER-STINE

In the intricate world of autoimmune disease, Dr. Lisa Christopher-Stine stands as a pillar of innovation, compassion, and scientific discovery. As a Professor of Medicine and Neurology at The Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine and the Director of the Johns Hopkins Myositis Center, she is a world-renowned leader whose work has fundamentally reshaped the understanding and treatment of inflammatory muscle diseases.

As a clinician-scientist, Dr. Christopher-Stine’s research has been transformative. Her most significant contribution was the co-discovery of the anti-HMGCR autoantibody, which defined a new subtype of statin-associated immune-mediated necrotizing myopathy. This groundbreaking work established a new diagnostic paradigm, enabling clinicians worldwide to identify and treat patients who had been misdiagnosed. Her research is anchored by her role as the principal investigator for the Johns Hopkins Myositis Research Registry—a global cohort of over 3,000 patients that serves as a vital resource for myositis studies.

Her leadership and influence are recognized through numerous honors. She is consistently named one of America’s Top Doctors by Castle Connolly and was presented with The Arthritis Foundation’s Medical Champion Award in 2022. Alongside her Myositis Center team, she received the 2022 Myositis Association’s Medical Hero Award, a testament to the Center’s collective impact. Prestigious invitations, including the Canadian Rheumatology Association Dunlop-Dottridge Lectureship, the Health Manpower Development Plan Visiting Expert appointment from the Singapore Ministry of Health, and the Bilka Visiting Professorship at the Mayo Clinic, further cement her international standing. For her mentorship efforts, she was awarded the 2025 Susan M. MacDonald Sponsorship Excellence Award for the Career Advancement of Women Faculty.

Beyond her research, Dr. Christopher-Stine is a dedicated educator and a passionate advocate for patient-centered care. She co-chairs an international initiative (OMERACT) to develop patient-reported outcome measures, ensuring the patient perspective is integral to clinical trials. Patients describe her as a knowledgeable and deeply compassionate physician who, as one patient stated, “cares about the whole me, not just my myositis.”

Through her visionary leadership of the Myositis Center, her pioneering research, and her unwavering dedication to her patients, Dr. Lisa Christopher-Stine is not just treating a disease; she is transforming lives and building a legacy of hope for the entire myositis community.

Programme: Lisa Christopher-Stine

Contact person: Dr Maria Noviani (maria.noviani@sgh.com.sg)