We would like to extend our sincere thanks to our outgoing Country Liaisons for their dedication, enthusiasm, and commitment.
Through their efforts, we have strengthened connections across countries, increased engagement within our network, and supported young clinicians and researchers in meaningful ways. Their contributions — from promoting initiatives locally to fostering collaboration and visibility — have been instrumental in shaping and growing our community.
Although their formal term has come to an end, they remain valued members of our network, and we hope to continue collaborating in new capacities. Thank you for your leadership, your energy, and your lasting impact.
Albania
Enida Xhaferi
Enida graduated as a medical doctor at the University of Tirana in Albania and gained her rheumatology specialization at QSUT Hospital, Albania.
Her main research interests are radiographic axial spondyloarthrirtis, rheumatoid arthritis and rehabilitation.
Armenia
Anna Petoyan
Anna graduated as a medical doctor from the Yerevan State Medical University in 2013. She currently works as resident in rheumatology in the “Muratsan” University Hospital.
Her main research interests are antiphospholipid syndrome, rheumatoid arthritis, systemic lupus erythematosus, systemic sclerosis and vasculitis.
Austria
Myriam Reisch
Myriam studied at the Medical University of Vienna until 2019. Currently, she works as resident in rheumatology department in the Medical University of Graz. She is an active member of the JÖGR (the young Austrian Society of Rheumatology) and she is very dedicated to clinical education and created the first rheumatological escape room in Europe.
Her research is focused on PMR and vasculitis.
Bulgaria
Rositsa Dacheva
Rositsa graduated from the Medical University of Sofia, Bulgaria, in 2013. In 2020 she completed her rheumatology residency in UMHAT “St. Ivan Rilski”, Sofia. She is currently working as a rheumatologist in Sofia, Bulgaria.
Her interests include inflammatory arthritis, interstitial lung disease, treatment strategies, systemic sclerosis and musculoskeletal ultrasound.
Czech Republic
Veronika Balajkova
Veronika graduated as a medical doctor from the Charles University (Prague, 2015). She currently works at the Institute of Rheumatology in Prague. She is also part of a research group on systemic lupus erythematosus supported by the Ministry of Health of Czech Republic
In 2015 she started her PhD with a special interest in neuropsychiatric lupus.
Germany
Johanna Mucke
Johanna received her MD from Heidelberg University. She is currently working as a clinical and research fellow in training in rheumatology at the Heinrich Heine University in Düsseldorf.
Her interests are systemic lupus erythematosus with focus on treat-to-target and health-related quality of life. synovial inflammation in rheumatoid arthritis, psoriatic arthritis and connective tissue diseases. Johanna is an active member of the German Society of Young Rheumatologists (“AGJR”).
Hungary
Dóra Sárvári
Dóra Sárvári is a medical doctor since 2016, currently working at the Immunology Department of Rheumatology Centrum, Budai Irgalmasrendi Kórház, Budapest, Hungary.
She teaches medical students and prepare presentations for Immunologic and rheumatologic conferences. Her major interests include scleroderma and lupus, ultrasonography of joints and teaching medical students.
Ireland
Ramona Valea
Ramona graduated from the “Carol Davila” University in Bucharest in 2010 and has completed her training in rheumatology in Romania and Ireland. She is currently a certified rheumatology consultant in Ireland. She was awarded a EULAR research fellowship in Dublin regarding the use of ultrasound in patients with asymptomatic hyperuricemia in 2014.
Her interests include patient care and imaging in rheumatic diseases
Israel
Jennifer Ben Shimol
Jennifer completed medical school at SUNY Downstate Medical Center followed by a residency in internal medicine at Montefiore Medical Center and a fellowship in rheumatology at Mount Sinai Medical Center. Currently, she works as a full-time rheumatologist at the Barzilai Medical Center.
She is involved in research exploring the use fluorescence optical imaging to evaluate response of synovitis to pharmaceutical treatment and developing AI software to help rheumatologists better evaluate their patients. She is also dedicated to educating clinicians at all levels of training
Lithuania
Ona Montvydaitė-Kreivaitienė
Ona is a second-year PhD student and works at a university hospital in a 26-bed rheumatology department. She is also involved in teaching medical students and residents at the university. Additionally, she is a board member of the Lithuanian Society of Rheumatologists.
Her main interests are degenerative joint diseases and musculoskeletal ultrasound
Montenegro
Rifat Medjedovic
Rifat received his MD degree from the Faculty of Medicine at the University of Montenegro. He currently works as a specialist at the Department of Rheumatology and Internal Medicine of the Clinical Center of Montenegro.
His main interests are ultrasound imaging and systemic lupus erythematosus.
Netherlands
Lotte van Ouwerkerk
Lotte graduated as a medical doctor in 2019 and completed her PhD in 2024 at Leiden University. She is currently a Rheumatology resident at Alrijne hospital, Leiderdorp.
Her main research interests include rheumatoid arthritis and vasculitis
North Macedonia
Maja Bojadziovska
Maja became a rheumatologist in 2010 and is currently working at the clinical hospital of rheumatology in Skopje, North Macedonia.
Her professional and scientific interests focus on patients with arthritis and postmenopausal osteoporosis. She also works as an assistant at the Faculty of Medicine in Skopje
Romania
Vasilia Iorgoveanu-Stoian
Vasilia Iorgoveanu is specialist in rheumatology in Bucharest, Romania. She received her PhD in salivary gland ultrasonography in Sjogren’s Syndrome in 2019. She is a trained EULAR teacher in musculoscheletal ultrasonography.
Her main interests are autoimmune diseases, especially Sjogren’s Syndrome, musculoskeletal ultrasonography and articular degenerative diseases.
Spain
Mario Leon-Garcia
Mario Leon-García is currently working as consultant rheumatologist and clinical researcher in Valme University Hospital in Sevilla. Associate Professor of Medical Practice, Faculty of Medicine, University of Sevilla. He is also the Head of the Rheumatology Department, in Clínica Doctores Mario Leon in Mérida (Extremadura).
His main interest includes rheumatoid arthritis, systemic lupus erythematosus, other systemic autoimmune diseases and musculoskeletal ultrasound.
UK (England)
Su-Ann Yeoh
Su-Ann graduated as a medical doctor from the University of Nottingham in 2012. She currently works as Rheumatology Clinical Research Fellow at University College London.
Her main research interests are bDMARDs, rheumatoid arthritis, T- cells, TNF-alpha and treatment strategies.
Ukraine
Olena Zimba
Dr Olena Zimba has been involved in rheumatology research since 2005 and got her PhD degree for studies of connective tissue dysplasia in 2010. Since 2013, she has been undertaking post-doctoral research in systemic vasculitis. She is an Associate Professor at the Department of Internal Medicine N2 of Danylo Halytsky Lviv National Medical University (Lviv, Ukraine), Associate Editor of the Directory of Open Access Journals (DOAJ), Secretary General of the Ukrainian Council of Science Editors (UCSE), and Research Fellow at the Department of Rheumatology, Immunology and Internal Medicine of University Hospital in Krakow, Poland. Olena Zimba is an Associate Editor and Social Media Advisor of several rheumatology and general medicine journals, including Clinical Rheumatology (ILAR journal) and Rheumatology International.
Her current research interests also include axial spondyloarthritis, cardiovascular issues in rheumatic diseases, and rheumatology research methodology.
On behalf of the EMEUNET Country Liaison Sub-Committee
Alvaro Gomez and Jennifer Amsler