Prof. Vineeta Shobha is the founder of Department of Clinical Immunology & Rheumatology at St John’s Medical College Hospital, Bangalore. She is the current president of Karnataka Rheumatology Association, Core founding member of MyoIn Society (Myositis Special Interest Group) and SLE Special Interest Groups. She, as the chief editor has taken the IRA e-news letter to a pinnacle of readership.

She has dedicated long term follow up of large subsets of Rheumatoid and Lupus patients. She had led numerous collaborative clinical research projects across Karnataka, India which are specifically relevant for our population. She has also collaborated with peers across India in the field of rare or uncommon autoimmune rheumatic diseases. During the COVID-19 pandemic these collaborative efforts were immensely successful resulting in numerous publications and awards.

 She has been participating as Principal Investigator in pharmaceutical industry driven multicenter clinical trials for auto immune rheumatologic disorders since 2005.  These have included phase 2b, 3 and post marketing clinical trials involving various biologic modifiers.

 She is always a professional and compassionate clinician scientist, who has >20 years of experience in rheumatology. She has immeasurable publication as well as authored numerous textbook chapters.

 She is much loved and respected teacher, who has taught a generation of physicians working in the field of medicine and rheumatology.