Rheumatology Research Center

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About the Center

 

The Rheumatology Research Center was established in 1991 by professor Fereydoun Davatchi and holds the distinction of being the first research center affiliated with Tehran University of Medical Sciences. Since its inception, the center has been a leader in healthcare delivery, education, research, and the advancement of knowledge within the fields of rheumatology and related disciplines; it strives to provide unique, high-quality services at both national and international levels, aiming to improve patients' health and quality of life while fostering education and the dissemination of knowledge.

Major Research Activities

  • Community oriented program for control of rheumatic disease (COPCORD)
  • Basic science in rheumatology
  • Bechet's Disease
  • Systemic lupus erythematosus
  • Systemic Scleroderma
  • Rheumatoid arthritis
  • Ankylosing spondylitis

Unique strengths

  • Registration of rheumatic diseases including 7872 Patients with Behçet's disease (BD), 4674 patients with rheumatoid arthritis (RA), 1875 patients with systemic lupus (SLE), 1556 patients with systemic scleroderma, 231 patients with ankylosing spondylitis (AS).
  • Availability of a cellular and molecular immunology laboratory for basic science research in Rheumatology.

 

Research Focus Area

 

Connective tissue diseases:

  • Clinical epidemiology
  • Clinical trials
  • Treatment of Rheumatic Diseases
  • Clinical presentation of Rheumatic Diseases
  • Immunopathogenesis of Rheumatic Diseases
  • Cell signaling
  • Fibrosis
  • Animal model of Rheumatic Diseases
Expertise, Facilities & Research Services

 

Expertise:

  • Cell Culture Laboratory
  • Biobank
  • Clinical Trial Unit
  • National Patient Registry
  • Molecular Lab
  • Equipments lab

Facilities & Research Services:

  • Capillaroscopy: Optilia Instruments AB, Djupdalsvägen 22, SE-192 51 Sollentuna, Sweden
  • Sonography: Hologic® Supersonic Mach 20 system
  • PCR machine
  • Real time PCR machine
  • CO2 incubator
  • Inverted microscope
  • Class II biosafety cabinet
  • -70°© freezer
  • Liquid Nitrogen tank
  • Vertical and horizontal electrophoresis tank
  • Gel documentation system
  • Nanodrop
  • Elisa reader
  • Shaker incubator

 

Collaboration Opportunities

 

  • Joint research projects
  • Student and faculty exchange
  • Visiting scholars
  • Clinical trials

 

Director & Key Researchers

 

  • Name of the Director: Dr Ahmadreza Jamshidi
  • Name(s) of Deputy Director(s): Dr Mehdi Mahmoudi, Dr Masoumeh Akhlaghi
  • list of principal faculty members: Dr Fereydoun Davatchi, Dr Farhad Shahram, Dr Mahmoud Akbarian, Dr Abdolhadi Nadji, Dr Farhad Gharibdoost, Dr Masoumeh Akhlaghi, Dr Seyedeh Tahereh Faezi, Dr Hoda Kavosi, Dr Elham Farhadi, Dr Majid Alikhani, Dr Elham Madreseh, Dr Shokoufeh Sadeghi.

 

Selected Achievements

 

  • Highly cited publications
  • Clinical guidelines
  • National or international awards
  • Major completed projects

AWARDS

  • APLAR Contributions, Activities, and Recognitions
  • Served as an active member of the APLAR Board of Directors since its establishment.
  • Actively contributed to the APLAR Working Groups on Behçet’s Disease, Spondyloarthropathies, and Genetics, with participation in APLAR Congress activities.
  • APLAR Distinguished Senior Rheumatologist Award presented to Professor Fereydoun Davatchi, in recognition of his pioneering role as the founder of modern rheumatology in Iran.
  • Recognized as a Distinguished APLAR Member for outstanding contributions to COPCORD research.
  • APLAR Outstanding Researcher Award presented to Dr. Fereydoun Davatchi.
  • APLAR Distinguished Senior Rheumatologist Award presented to Dr. Mahmoud Akbarian.
  • APLAR Distinguished Senior Rheumatologist Award presented to Dr. Abdolhadi Naji.
  • APLAR Distinguished Senior Rheumatologist Award presented to Dr. Farhad Shahram.

 

Why Collaborate with Us?

 

  • Access to unique patient cohorts
  • National referral center
  • WHO Collaborating Centre
  • Advanced research infrastructure
  • Exclusive databases or registries
  • Strong translational research capacity

 

Contact Information

 

  • Rheumatology Research Center
  • Postal Address: Rheumatology Research Center, Shariati Hospital, Ahmad Ahmadi Street, Jalal Al-Ahmad Street, Tehran, Iran
  • Telephone: 02184903291, 02184903360
  • Email: rrc@sina.tums.ac.ir
  •  Website: https://rrc.tums.ac.ir
  •  Google Maps location: https://www.google.com/maps/search/35.721059,+51.386285?entry=tts
     
Last Update At : 13 September 2026