Dr. Morris Reichlin developed a watershed test for lupus and reshaped research at OMRF.
Autoimmune disease research was in its infancy in 1981. That was the year Dr. Morris “Moe” Reichlin packed his lab at the State University of New York at Buffalo to start a new scientific program at OMRF.
A rheumatologist, Reichlin gained prominence when he discovered antibodies associated with lupus, one of more than 80 diseases that cause the body’s immune system to attack itself. The test he then created—the Reichlin profile—provided physicians with an important tool to assist them in diagnosing lupus and other autoimmune diseases. Its development marked a milestone in diagnostic medicine.
At OMRF, Reichlin built the foundation into a leading center for researching and treating lupus and other autoimmune illnesses. OMRF scientists have since played a role in identifying 65 of the 101 genes known to play a role in lupus. Thousands of patients have received treatment in OMRF’s clinics to help them manage their conditions. The program Reichlin created now employs more than 150 staff members, and its clinical focus has expanded to include treatment for multiple sclerosis and rheumatoid arthritis.
Throughout his 28 years at OMRF, where he became vice president of research, Reichlin continued to treat people suffering from lupus. “He cared about his patients as much as he cared for them,” says OMRF Vice President of Clinical Affairs Dr. Judith James.
Indeed, it was the needs of the people suffering from lupus that guided Reichlin’s scientific inquiries. “If it meant something to the patient, then it meant something to me,” he told The Rheumatologist.
Upon his retirement in 2009, he was named an OMRF Distinguished Career Scientist. In the years that followed, he remained engaged and interested in science as long as he was able.
This past summer, Reichlin passed away at the age of 84. He is survived by his wife, Marianne, two children and a grandchild. His legacy includes nearly 500 scientific papers and more than 100 scientific and clinical trainees, a group that includes James.
“He was a master clinician, mentor and scientist,” says James. “Many of us wouldn’t be rheumatologists today without Dr. Reichlin’s influence and the example he set for us all.”
