Elisa Gremese is Associate Professor of Rheumatology at Humanitas University, Head of the ‘Precision Rheumatology’ Section within the Rheumatology and Clinical Immunology Unit at Humanitas University and Director of the Residency School of Rheumatology at Humanitas University. She is a senior clinical-scientist with over two decades of experience in autoimmune rheumatic diseases, combining extensive clinical leadership with a strong track record in translational research.
Prior to joining Humanitas, she held multiple leadership roles at Università Cattolica del Sacro Cuore – Fondazione Policlinico Universitario A. Gemelli IRCCS (Rome), including Director of the Clinical Immunology Unit, Acting Director of the Rheumatology Unit, and Director of the Rheumatology Residency Program. Her research is centered on the biological and molecular profiling, including single-cell and spatial transcriptomics, to identify biomarkers of disease activity, predict treatment response, and stratify patients across different disease stages. She has also contributed to pioneering studies on the role of B cells, cytokine networks, and immuno-metabolic factors in disease pathogenesis and therapeutic outcomes.
Elisa Gremese has led and coordinated numerous clinical and translational research programs, acting as Principal Investigator in a large number of investigator-initiated and industry-sponsored clinical trials (phase I–IV), as well as in major national and international funded projects, including Horizon Europe and FOREUM initiatives. She plays a prominent role in national and international scientific networks. She has been group leader of the CORDIS (Cardiovascular, Obesity and Rheumatic Diseases Italian Study) group within the Italian Society of Rheumatology (SIR), is Regional Delegate for Lombardy Rheumatological Society and is a founding member and Secretary of ReDO (Reumatologhe Donne), promoting networking, mentorship, and the promotion of women in rheumatology. Founding Member, Board Member, and Head of the Scientific Committee of the Italian GISEA/OEG Group (Italian Group for the Study of Early Arthritis / GISEA Epidemiological Observatory). The group has established, maintained, and further developed registries for the collection of data on chronic inflammatory arthritides and is actively engaged in national and international collaborations with other European and non-European registries in the field of rheumatic diseases. She has authored over 300 peer-reviewed publications. Her scientific impact is reflected by an H-index of 50 (Scopus), with over 9,000 citations.
Her research combines tissue-driven experimental medicine, multi-omics technologies, and advanced data science to define molecular signatures of treatment response and resistance, support biomarker-guided therapeutic strategies, and advance precision medicine in rheumatology. Through her combined clinical and scientific leadership, she plays a central role in bridging translational research and patient care within the Translational Rheumatology Lab.