Robert J Winchester, MD

Dr. Winchester has had a sustained interest in human autoimmunity. His earlier studies defined the molecular importance of rheumatoid factors, other autoantibodies and immune complexes in human disease. Moreover, Dr. Winchester was involved in the early identification and tissue expression of human MHC class II molecules. As importantly, his studies of the polymorphisms of MHC molecules have provided the basis of establishing the link between MHC genotype and susceptibility to autoimmunity. For example in the late 1980's Dr. Winchester and colleagues showed that susceptibility to rheumatoid arthritis was determined by sequences in the b chain of MHC class II molecules.

This ob...