April 17, 2009

BIRMINGHAM, Ala. - The University of Alabama System Board of Trustees today appointed Graciela Solis Alarcón, M.D., M.P.H., University of Alabama (UAB) Professor Emerita of Medicine in the Division of Clinical Immunology and Rheumatology in the Department of Medicine, UAB School of Medicine.

A Peruvian native, Alarcón received her M.D. degree from the Universidad Peruana Cayetano Heredia in Lima and a MPH from Johns Hopkins University in Baltimore. She completed an internship with Baltimore City Hospitals and a fellowship with Johns Hopkins before coming to UAB in 1980 as a research fellow in the Division of Clinical Immunology and Rheumatology. In 1981, she joined the faculty as assistant professor.

Alarcón's professional interests include adult and pediatric clinical rheumatology and outcomes in the rheumatic diseases, specifically in minority populations. In addition to her contributions as a researcher and physician, Alarcón has mentored numerous research fellows, clinical fellows, research assistants, and graduate and undergraduate students, many of whom have gone on to receive advanced degrees.

Alarcón's research focuses on immunogenetic and outcomes studies in lupus and etiopathogenic studies in fibromyalgia. In 1997, she received the Arthritis Foundation's Virginia P. Engalitcheff Award for contributions to improve the quality of life of patients with arthritis.

A past member of the American Board of Internal Medicine, Alarcón has served as editor of Arthritis Care and Research and has authored more than 300 scientific articles. She has served on numerous editorial boards, including the Annals of Internal Medicine, Arthritis and Rheumatism, Arthritis Care and Research, The Journal of Rheumatology, The Journal of Clinical Rheumatology, Ballieres Clinical Rheumatology, Lupus, The Mexican Journal of Rheumatology, The Peruvian Journal of Rheumatology and The Ibero-American Rheumatology Bulletin. In 2003, she was named Outstanding Women's Faculty Member by the UAB Women's Center and the Women's Studies Program. In 2009, she was named to the UAB Dean's Award for Excellence in Mentorship.

About UAB

The UAB School of Medicine provides medical education and internship opportunities for students throughout the world. Its comprehensive approach to teaching future physicians covers all facets of medicine, including medical education, research, and patient care - delivered in one of the most technologically advanced medical facilities in the country. A long tradition of interdisciplinary research has ensured that the School of Medicine consistently ranks among the leading recipients of National Institutes of Health funding in the Southeast.