UB-GSK Chair on Autoimmune Diseases

The goal of this new project is to improve the health prospects of patients with autoimmune diseases by promoting teaching, research and the dissemination of knowledge pertaining to these conditions.

The UB-GSK Chair on Autoimmune Diseases will work to promote university teaching, research and dissemination through the Autoimmune Diseases Service of Hospital Clínic, Barcelona, a leading centre in in Catalonia (where it is officially recognized as a “clinical expertise unit”), Spain (where it has the status of benchmark unit, service and centre) and Europe (forming part of a European Reference Network) in systemic autoimmune diseases, vasculitis and autoinflammatory diseases. Specific university activities will include:

• The university master’s degree specialization in Autoimmune Diseases
• The UB-specific master’s degree in Autoimmune Diseases
• The postgraduate course Ten Topics Josep Font in Autoimmune Diseases and Rheumatology
• The Catalan Forum for Autoimmune Diseases (FOCMA)
• The Multidisciplinary Meeting on Autoimmune Diseases (FOCMA)

The Chair will also carry out a range of actions to support its university activities:

• 20 scholarships for students enrolled in the UB-specific master’s degree in Autoimmune Diseases
• 1 prize and 2 special distinctions for final projects completed by students enrolled in the UB-specific master’s degree in Autoimmune Diseases. The winners will be decided by an independent panel of UB teaching staff.
• 2 annual meetings or postgraduate courses on systemic autoimmune diseases, intended for healthcare professionals with a specific interest in the subject and open to an international public:

a) Autoimmunity Day: a scientific meeting on current developments in the field of systemic autoimmune diseases, with contributions from national and international speakers.

b) Autoimmunity Oration: a scientific lecture given by a prestigious International expert.