Dr. Bykerk works with patients who have, or have recently developed rheumatoid arthritis.

With a patient care focus on the importance of proper diagnosis, particularly in the early stages of inflammatory arthritis, which may prevent serious joint damage, lifelong impacts on quality of life. Dr. Bykerk notes that if detected and treated in its early stages, the effects of inflammatory arthritis can be greatly diminished.

"As rheumatologists, we want to see patients with new onset rheumatoid arthritis ideally as soon as possible." said Dr. Bykerk. "Patients often don't get to us for four to six months after their symptoms have been identified. The longer they wait, the higher the chance damage will occur."

Dr. Vivian Bykerk is the director of a team of specialists at the Inflammatory Arthritis Center of Excellence at Hospital for Special Surgery. The Center includes a dedicated inflammatory arthritis clinic, extensive arthritis registries, scientific studies focused on musculoskeletal and autoimmune diseases, a physician education program, and most importantly, an emphasis on providing quality health care to patients.

Dr. Bykerk is principal investigator of the Accelerated Medicines Partnership (AMP), a multiyear NIH funded translational research project across numerous sites in the United States. Dr Bykerk also serves on several subcommittees of this consortium in leadership roles. She has worked to advance the goals of the AMP consortium in RA, co-leading the Phase 0 and I arms of the study and participating in the leadership group of the phase II study planning group. Dr Bykerk has served as a co-chair for the RA Disease Focus Group (DFG) since the project's inception, written integral parts of the protocol, lab and clinical manuals for both Phase I and II, and provided guidance for policy and publication documents that govern AMP consortium sites.

Dr. Bykerk brings an extensive knowledge base and experience in rheumatology. She completed a residency in Internal Medicine at Mount Sinai Hospital in Toronto, Ontario, Canada, and spent two years as a Rheumatology Fellow at McGill University, in Montreal, Quebec. Dr. Bykerk received the Senior Rheumatology Scholar Award in 1989 presented by the American College of Rheumatology for her research in lupus. She served as the Director of the Early Arthritis Program at Mount Sinai Hospital, Toronto, Ontario, Canada and comes to Hospital for Special Surgery from Brigham & Women's Hospital, Boston, where she was in the Division of Rheumatology. She has been in rheumatology practice for over 25 years.