Anca D. Askanase, MD, MPH

Dr. Askanase is currently Professor of Medicine and Director and founder of the Columbia Lupus Center. She divides her time between clinical research and caring for a large cohort of systemic lupus erythematosus (SLE) patients, many of them less than 25 years old and with a history of lupus nephritis. She completed her medical school training at the Bucharest Medicine and Pharmacy Institute, her residency at St. Luke’s/Roosevelt Hospital Center, and her rheumatology fellowship at the New York University (NYU) Medical Center. Because of her interest in clinical research, she obtained a Master of Public Health at Columbia University School of Public Health. She has trained with some of the foremost experts in the field of SLE and became an expert herself. She is a full member of the Systemic Lupus International Collaborating Clinics (SLICC) group.

Dr. Askanase is very experienced in clinical care of various manifestations of SLE, including kidney disease. She has participated in many SLE studies including the successful trials of Benlysta and Anifrolumab. Of note, she initiated studies to evaluate the use of Mycopheonlate Mofetil in the treatment of lupus nephritis, understand the efficacy of Azathioprine in SLE patients and simplify outcome measures in SLE. She has been involved with many clinical trials focused on the treatment of lupus and lupus nephritis as well. 

She also has been involved in education programs for SLE patients at NYU, Columbia University and through lupus advocacy groups.