Jon Tyler Giles, MD

Dr. Giles is an epidemiologist and clinical researcher in the Division of Rheumatology at Columbia University. Over the past decade, his research group has focused on understanding the determinants and impacts of extra-articular comorbidities of rheumatoid arthritis. They have explored the relationships of immune and inflammatory biomarkers with disease activity, articular damage, body composition, disability, cardiovascular disease, and pulmonary disease in individuals with rheumatoid arthritis. A particular area of focus in the design of these studies has been the appropriate use of analytical modeling, diligent identification, measurement, and control of confounders, and the use of efficient and robust modeling techniques. The results of these studies have informed the design of translational studies to help define mechanisms. Other current and past research involve the investigation of accelerated atherosclerosis and myocardial dysfunction in rheumatoid arthritis patients, understanding the risks of biologic therapeutic use for patients undergoing surgery, and exploring the musculoskeletal side-effects of a class of medications used to suppress estrogen in women with certain forms of breast cancer. He is the recipient of major grant support from the National Institutes of Health, the Arthritis Foundation, the American College of Rheumatology.