Dr. Smadar Gertel, Ph.D., graduated from the Weizmann Institute of Science in Rehovot, Israel, and specializes in novel therapeutic approaches and personalized medicine in arthritis. She previously led the Arthritis Laboratory at Sheba Medical Center, where she developed an immunotherapy agent based on multi-epitope citrullinated peptides for therapy of rheumatoid arthritis. Currently, she heads the Arthritis Research Laboratory at the Rheumatology Department, Tel Aviv Sourasky Medical Center, focusing on innovative treatments and personalized care strategies. Her team has identified a novel LAG-3–mediated pathway that suppresses inflammation and developed a diagnostic assay designed to help prioritize TNFi therapy for patients with rheumatic diseases.