International Leader in Autoimmune Research to Lead Cedars-Sinai Institute

LOS ANGELES (Aug. 18, 2022) — Nunzio Bottini, MD, PhD, whose groundbreaking research focuses on the role of a group of proteins in the development of rheumatic diseases, has joined Cedars-Sinai as the inaugural director of the Kao Autoimmunity Institute.

“Dr. Bottini is an internationally recognized physician-scientist and leader in autoimmune research. He has focused on a group of proteins called phosphatases that are fundamental regulators of inflammation, autoimmunity, and fibrosis. His expertise can help guide Cedars-Sinai in clinical, translational and basic research to advance our understanding of autoimmunity in order to provide the best care for our patients,”  said Paul Noble, MD, chair of the Department of Medicine and director of the Women’s Guild Lung Institute.

Bottini comes to Cedars-Sinai from the University of California, San Diego (UCSD), where he served as section chief in the Division of Rheumatology, Allergy, and Immunology and as a professor of rheumatology. He received his Doctor of Medicine from the University of Rome in Italy, where he also completed his internship and residency, and fellowship training in rheumatology at UCSD. The Bottini Laboratory at UCSD specialized in the study of a family of signaling enzymes called protein tyrosine phosphatases, implicated in the development of chronic autoimmunity, cancer, and other diseases.

“About 24 million adults and children in the United States are afflicted by autoimmune disorders and they are a leading cause of death and disability around the world. At the Kao Autoimmunity Institute, we want to bring top investigators and clinicians together and leverage the culture of scientific excellence and collaboration at Cedars-Sinai to develop novel, evidence based, and personalized treatments, for all human autoimmune diseases” said Bottini.

Since 2006, Bottini has been continuously funded by the National Institutes of Health for research that includes rheumatoid arthritis and scleroderma, an autoimmune connective tissue disease that often causes debilitating inflammation in the skin and other areas of the body.

“Dr. Bottini is a world-class scientist investigating key mechanisms underpinning rheumatic diseases. His presence and leadership will attract top-level investigators to Cedars-Sinai with the goal of creating one of the nation’s top academic rheumatology programs,” said Francesco Boin, MD, who holds the Cedars-Sinai Chair in Rheumatology and is director of the Scleroderma Center, part of the Kao Autoimmunity Institute.

Bottini said he was drawn to Cedars-Sinai for a variety of reasons including the collaborative and interdisciplinary approach to clinical practice and research across the institution and the strong focus on translational medicine.

“You can sense the positive energy and see the remarkable commitment of resources, especially at the leadership level, to making a difference in the lives of autoimmune patients. We have a unique opportunity to build a special clinical and research enterprise through the Kao Autoimmunity Institute,” said Bottini.