Ellen M Gravallese MD

Rheumatoid Arthritis & Related, Spondyloarthropathy

Chief, Division of Rheumatology, Inflammation, and Immunity Brigham and Women's Hospital, Harvard Medical School

Brigham and Women's HospitalHale Building for Transformative Medicine; 60 Fenwood RoadBoston, MA 02115
Phone+1 617-525-1000

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Summary

Dr. Ellen M. Gravallese is the Theodore Bevier Bayles Professor of Medicine at Harvard Medical School and Chair of Rheumatology, Inflammation, and Immunity at Brigham and Women's Hospital. Her prior position was as the Myles J. McDonough Chair in Rheumatology, tenured Professor of Medicine and Chief of Rheumatology at University of Massachusetts Medical School. Dr. Gravallese received her AB degree from Harvard College and her MD from Columbia University College of Physicians and Surgeons. She completed a combined residency in Internal Medicine and Pathology at Brigham and Women’s Hospital, Harvard Medical School, where she also served as a fellow in the Division of Rheumatology, Immunology and Allergy. She is Board Certified in Anatomic Pathology, Internal Medicine and Rheumatology. Dr. Gravallese’s career focus has been in the areas of basic science investigation, the care of patients with rheumatic disease, and the training of young investigators. Dr. Gravallese’s basic science laboratory has been devoted for the past 20 years to the study of the pathogenesis of rheumatoid arthritis (RA), with a particular interest in the fundamental mechanisms of bone and cartilage destruction.

Education & Training

Mass General Brigham/Brigham and Women's HospitalFellowship, Rheumatology, 1986 - 1989
Mass General Brigham/Brigham and Women's HospitalResidency, Internal Medicine, 1981 - 1986
Columbia University Vagelos College of Physicians and SurgeonsClass of 1981
Harvard UniversityA.B., Biochemical Sciences, Magna Cum Laude, 1977
Harvard UniversityA.B., Biochemical Sciences, Summa Cum Laude, 1977

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Certifications & Licensure

MA State Medical License 1982 - 2027
American Board of Internal Medicine Internal Medicine
American Board of Internal Medicine Rheumatology
American Board of Pathology Anatomic Pathology

Awards, Honors, & Recognition

Carol Nachman Prize International research award, 2019
CMS Meaningful Use Stage 1 Certification Allscripts Enterprise EHR, Allscripts, 2017
Stephen M. Krane Award ASBMR, 2017

Clinical Trials

Teriparatide for Joint Erosions in Rheumatoid Arthritis: The TERA Trial
COMPLETED
PHASE4

Publications & Presentations

PubMed

Chasing the target: reports from the Advances in Targeted Therapies meeting, 2025.
Kevin L Winthrop, Andreas Kerschbaumer, John D Isaacs, Philip Mease, Xenofon Baraliakos
Annals of the Rheumatic Diseases. 2026-04-23
16 citations
Spatial patterning of fibroblast TGFβ signaling underlies treatment resistance in rheumatoid arthritis.
Kartik Bhamidipati, Alexa B R McIntyre, Shideh Kazerounian, Gao Ce, Soon W Wong
Nature Immunology. 2026-03-01
2 citations
Synovial Tissue Macrophage Heterogeneity in Rheumatoid Arthritis.
Megan M Hanlon, Ursula Fearon, Ellen M Gravallese
European Journal of Immunology. 2026-01-01

Journal Articles

PRIME Time in Rheumatoid Arthritis
Ellen M Gravallese, William H Robinson, The New England Journal of Medicine
Effects of the IL-23–IL-17 Pathway on Bone in Spondyloarthritis
Ellen Gravallese, MD, Nature
Methods for High-Dimensonal Analysis of Cells Dissociated from Cyropreserved Synovial Tissue
Paul J Utz, William H Robinson, Ellen M Gravallese, Soumya Raychaudhuri, Alessandra B Pernis, Susan M Goodman, Michael B Brenner, Lionel B Ivashkiv, Brendan F Boyce, P..., BioMed Central

Books/Book Chapters

UpToDate
Chapter: Synovial tissue analysis in rheumatoid arthritis, I and II.
Chopra R and Gravallese EMEditors: Rose BD.UpToDate, Wellesley, MA2014
Rheumatology
Chapter: Chapter 91, “The rheumatoid joint: Synovitis and tissue destruction.”
Gravallese EM and Monach PAEditors: Hochberg, Silman, Smolen, Weinblatt, Weisman.Mosby: An Imprint of Elsevier ScienceEdition 5th,2013
Rheumatology
Chapter: The rheumatoid joint: Synovitis and tissue destruction
Gravallese EM and Monach PAEditors: Hochberg, Silman, Smolen, Weinblatt, Weisman.Mosby: An Imprint of Elsevier ScienceEdition 5th,2013

Abstracts/Posters

The STING Pathway Regulates Bone Remodeling in a Model of Autoimmune Disease. Plenary Abstract Presentation
Gravallese E, American College of Rheumatology National Meeting, Boston, MA, 1/1/2014
The STING Pathway Regulates Bone Remodeling in a Model of Autoimmune Disease. Plenary Poster Presentation
Gravallese E, American Society of Bone and Mineral Research National Meeting, 1/1/2014
The STING Pathway Regulates Bone Remodeling in a Model of Autoimmune Disease
American College of Rheumatology national meeting, Boston, MA, 1/1/2014

Lectures

RA pathogenesis and the bone perspective
1/1/2015
What can we learn from synovial tissue in rheumatic diseases?
1/1/2015
Mechanisms of bone formation and the potential for erosion repair
Nice, France - 1/1/2015

Other

Radio interview, with Dr. David Borenstein, on current research efforts in rheumatoid arthritis.
Gravallese E, Speaking of Health
Washington, DC - 1/1/2014
Synovial tissue analysis in rheumatoid arthritis, I and II
Gravallese EM, Handel ML, UpToDate
Wellesley, MA - 1/1/2004
Discussion of pathogenic mechanisms of joint destruction in RA and implications for therapy.
Gravallese E, Rheumaview Series
JointandBone.org
1/1/2002

Authored Content

Leveraging the ACR’s RISE Registry for ResearchSeptember 2020
PRIME Time in Rheumatoid ArthritisJuly 2020
The ACR Is Helping Rheumatology Practices Meet COVID-19 ChallengesJuly 2020

Press Mentions

Drug May Offer New Approach Against Rheumatoid ArthritisMay 18th, 2023
Themes of Drama, Heroism & New Challenges Threaded President’s & Keynote Addresses at ACR Convergence 2022November 18th, 2022
A New President Takes the ACR Helm: Introducing Douglas White, MD, PhDNovember 17th, 2022

Grant Support

Immunologic Mechanisms and Rheumatic DiseasesBRIGHAM AND WOMEN'S HOSPITAL1985–2030
Novel approaches to promote healing of bone loss in inflammatory arthritisUNIV OF MASSACHUSETTS MED SCH WORCESTER2022–2027
Inhibition Of Osteoblast Function In Bone Erosion In Rheumatoid ArthritisNational Institute Of Arthritis And Musculoskeletal And Skin Diseases2009–2011
Pathogenesis Of Bone Erosion In Rheumatoid ArthritisNational Institute Of Arthritis And Musculoskeletal And Skin Diseases2007
Pathogenesis Of Bone Erosion In Rheumatoid ArthritisNational Institute Of Arthritis And Musculoskeletal And Skin Diseases2003–2006