The 2024 ACR Awards of Distinction

Dr. Lacaille has served on numerous university, national and international committees, including committees of the ACR (Young Investigator Subcommittee on Research, Committee on Quality of Care, Quality Measures Subcommittee and chair of the Criteria Subcommittee), the Canadian Rheumatology Association (Access to Care Committee, Scientific Committee) and CIHR (review panels, chair of the Institute Advisory Board of the Institute of Musculoskeletal Health and Arthritis).

Throughout her career, Dr. Lacaille has been passionate about mentoring the next generation of scientists and clinicians. Many of the graduate students and early career scientists whom she mentored have had successful academic careers and taken on leadership positions. As Arthritis Research Canada’s scientific director, she created its arthritis trainee network, which supports the academic growth of graduate students from seven universities and multiple disciplines relevant to arthritis care and research.

Supporting women in academia has been one of her priorities. She developed and implemented the Success in Academia Program for Women in Medicine as part of her role as chair of the Equity Committee for UBC’s Department of Medicine. In addition, she has served as an informal mentor for many clinical rheumatologists and early career scientists in the Division of Rheumatology and at Arthritis Research Canada.

“Working alongside young talented individuals and watching their growth and success is one of the most rewarding aspects of my job,” says Dr. Lacaille. “I have been privileged to work with many bright and extremely talented trainees. Their curiosity, enthusiasm and accomplishments are truly inspiring!”

Dr. Mikuls

Ted Mikuls, MD, MSPH, is the Stokes-Shackleford Professor of Rheumatology at the University of Nebraska Medical Center (UNMC), Omaha, and a staff physician and researcher at the VA Nebraska-Western Iowa Health Care System, Omaha. He completed medical school and his internal medicine training at UNMC and then completed his rheumatology fellowship training at the University of Alabama at Birmingham.

“To be recognized by the College and by my rheumatology colleagues in this way is both humbling and gratifying,” says Dr. Mikuls. “It is especially gratifying to know that the nomination for this award came from both mentees and mentors whose opinions I greatly value.”

Dr. Mikuls’ research interests are focused on disease epidemiology, pathogenesis and outcomes in rheumatoid arthritis and gout. He currently receives active research support from the National Institutes of Health, the U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs and the U.S. Department of Defense, as well as from industry, and serves as a director of the Professional Development Core for the National Institute of General Medical Sciences-funded Great Plains IdeA-CTR. He founded and has directed the national Veterans’ Affairs Rheumatoid Arthritis Registry (VARA) since its inception. During his career, Dr. Mikuls has mentored more than 70 trainees, including medical and graduate students, residents, fellows and early career faculty.