The Country Liaison network is at the heart of our community.
Country Liaisons serve as local ambassadors, connecting young clinicians and researchers with the wider EULAR network. They facilitate communication, promote opportunities, encourage collaboration, and ensure that initiatives reach colleagues across different centres and countries.
Here, we introduce both the newly appointed and continuing Country Liaisons. Alongside their photos and short biographies, you will find their key clinical and research interests — helping to foster connections based on shared expertise and academic focus.
We encourage you to explore this network, identify colleagues with overlapping interests, and reach out. Whether you are looking for collaboration, mentorship, or simply to expand your professional circle, our Country Liaisons are here to support and engage.
Together, we are building a stronger, more connected rheumatologist community across borders.
Albania
Arbi Pecani
Arbi a rheumatologist at the University Hospital “Shefet Ndroqi” and a lecturer in Rheumatology at the University of Medicine in Tirana, Albania. He holds a PhD in Clinical and Experimental Rheumatology at Sapienza University of Rome. As a Country Liaison, his goal is to increase visibility and engagement of young rheumatologists in EMEUNET activities and build an active network for collaboration, mentorship, and research.
His main interests are immunological mechanisms underlying rheumatoid lung.
LinkedIn: linkedin.com/in/arbi-pecani-4597bb18
Armenia
Edita Israyelyan
Edita is a rheumatologist at Erebouni Medical Center in Yerevan, Armenia, and active member of the Armenian Rheumatology Association. Passionate about building educational platforms for young rheumatologists and strengthening international collaboration through EMEUNET.
Her main interests are lupus, vasculitis, education in rheumatology.
X: @IsrayelyanEdita
LinkedIn: linkedin.com/in/edita-israyelyan-117816333
Austria
David Kickinger
David is in the final year of his rheumatology training at the Medical University of Graz, while also pursuing a PhD. He is also one of the co-founders of the Young Austrian Society for Rheumatology, which he is leading since 2024. When not in the clinic, you’ll find David running or discovering new espresso spots.
His main interests are systemic sclerosis, ILD and lung ultrasound.
Belgium
Charlotte Baert
Charlotte is a rheumatologist and a graduate of the Catholic University of Louvain (UCLouvain) in Belgium, practicing at UCL Namur University Hospital in both adult and paediatric rheumatology. She is an active member of several professional organisations, including the Royal Belgian Society of Rheumatology (SRBR) and the Belgian Pediatric Rheumatology Working Group (BPR).
Her main interests are inflammatory joint and systemic conditions as well as bone diseases.
Bulgaria
Daliya Pencheva
Daliya is a rheumatologist at the Clinic of Rheumatology, University Hospital “St. Ivan Rilski” in Sofia, Bulgaria. She earned her PhD from the Medical University of Sofia, with a focus on the management of systemic lupus erythematosus. Daliya recently completed a three-year term as a member of the EMEUNET subcommittees.
Her main interests are systemic lupus erythematosus, patient-reported outcomes, quality of life and treat-to-target strategies in rheumatic diseases
X: @ daliyapencheva
LinkedIn: linkedin.com/in/daliya-pencheva/
Croatia
Petra Šimac
Petra is a rheumatologist and student teaching assistant at the Course of Clinical Propedeutics in the University of Split, School of Medicine. She is passionate about education and international collaboration.
Her main interests are systemic sclerosis, rheumatoid arthritis and cardiovascular involvement in autoimmune diseases
X: @petra_simac
LinkedIn: linkedin.com/in/petrasimac
Cyprus
Maria Kosmetatou
Maria completed her residency in rheumatology at the University General Hospital “Attikon” in Athens and then relocated to Cyprus for family reasons and to practice rheumatology in Paphos. Her main goal as a Country Liaison in Cyprus is to strengthen connections between young rheumatologists and the international EMEUNET network, fostering collaboration, education, and professional growth.
Her main interests are systemic lupus erythematosus, systemic vasculitis and MSK ultrasound
Denmark
Morten Aagard Nielsen
Morten is a trainee in rheumatology and a postdoctoral researcher at the Department of Rheumatology Aarhus University Hospital. Morten is a board member of the Young Danish Rheumatology Society and a former EMEUNET subcommittee member.
His main interests are basic and translational science, stromal involvement in arthritis, VEXAS and autoinflammatory diseases
X: @ Morten_Aagaard
Estonia
Kaisa Mallene
Kaisa is a 3rd year rheumatology resident who mainly works in East Tallinn Central Hospital and North Estonia Medical Centre. She has been writing scientific articles on rheumatoid arthritis and osteomalacia.
Her main interests are systemic connective tissue disorders but also diagnostic ultrasound and biological treatments.
Finland
Petri Kreasanov
Petri graduated from the Faculty of Medicine at the University of Turku in 2015, completed his PhD in 2016, and became a specialist in internal medicine in 2022. He is a soon-to-be graduate rheumatologist currently working in Turku, Finland. In addition to rheumatology Petri is enthusiastic about ice hockey and football.
His main interests are vasculitis
France
Marc Scherlinger
Marc is a rheumatologist and translational researcher focusing on translational and clinical research into intensive immunotherapies, including CAR T cells and T-cell engagers, in the context of autoimmune disorders. He is a member of the French Society of Rheumatology, serves as vice-president of the Club for Innovating Immunotherapies in IMIDs (C3I), and a member of the EMEUNET Country Liaison subcommittee.
His main interests are autoimmune disease pathogenesis, particularly systemic lupus erythematosus.
Georgia
Salome Mdinaradze
Salome a paediatric rheumatologist working at Pirveli Clinic and Kinesis Rehabilitation Center. Part of her work focuses on rehabilitation, designing individualised for managing both inflammatory and non-inflammatory rheumatic diseases. Alongside her clinical work, she contributes to research on systemic lupus erythematosus, myositis, and psoriatic arthritis.
Her main interests are early diagnosis of inflammatory diseases and the management of complex autoimmune conditions.
LinkedIn: linkedin.com/in/salome-mdinaradze-8396b3311
Germany
Annika Franziska Sabine Podewski
Annika graduated from Charité Universitätsmedizin Berlin in 2020 and received her doctorate in 2024. She is working as a resident in the department of internal medicine and rheumatology at Park-Klinik Weißensee Berlin. She is part of the “rheumadocs” (Young German Rheumatology Association).
Her main interests are psoriatric arthritis/rheumatoid arthritis and imaging, especially musculoskeletal ultrasound.
Greece
Nikolaos Vlachogiannis
Nikos is a postdoctoral researcher in Rheumatology and Internal Medicine resident at the Medical School of the National and Kapodistrian University of Athens. Nikos is also a new member of EMEUNET social media subcommittee.
His main interests are systemic sclerosis, and specifically the pathogenetic mechanisms connecting vasculopathy / innate immunity with fibrosis.
Hungary
Gergely Bodor
Gergely is rheumatologist at the Albert-Szent Györgyi Medical School, Szeged, Hungary. Previously, as a chief resident of the rheumatology residency program, he was actively involved in peer mentorship among young colleagues. Nowadays he works together on clinical research projects with a network of promising rheumatologists from universities all over Hungary.
His main interests are systemic lupus erythematosus (alterations in lymphocyte function, clinical cohorts, cognitive function and mental health) and systemic sclerosis (diagnostics and treatment of subcutan calcinosis)
Iceland
Aron Hjalti Björnsson
Aron is a specialist trainee in rheumatology and internal medicine at Skåne University Hospital in Lund, Sweden, and a PhD candidate at the University of Iceland. He is especially interested in combining clinical work with research and teaching.
His main interests are management of inflammatory arthritis. His research explores how infection risk evolves in relation to treatment and disease characteristics in inflammatory arthritis.
Israel
Dafne Capelusnik
Dafne is a rheumatologist originally from Argentina, currently working at the Tel Aviv Sourasky Medical Center. She is also a PhD student at Maastricht University in the Netherlands. As a country liaison, her goal is to strengthen the connection between young rheumatologists in Israel and their peers across EULAR countries by promoting collaboration and networking.
Her main interests are spondyloarthritis and rheumatoid arthritis
X: @ DafneCapelusnik
LinkedIn: linkedin.com/in/dafne-capelusnik-a828b973/
Italy
Emanuele Bozzalla Cassione
Emanuele is a consultant rheumatologist and physician-researcher at the Division of Rheumatology, Careggi University Hospital, Florence. He is president elect of the SIRyoung (young committee of the Italian Society of Rheumatology) and has been serving as Country Liaison for Italy and San Marino in the past three years. Emanuele is a member of the EMEUNET Visibility & Global Affairs subcommittee.
His main interests are clinical and translational research in inflammatory arthropathies, especially RA and PsA, along with interstitial lung disease.
Lebanon
Ouidade Aitisha Tabesh
Ouidade is an Assistant Professor of Rheumatology at the Lebanese American University Medical Center–Rizk Hospital and at the Lebanese Geitaoui Hospital–University Medical Center in Beirut. She also practices at Bellevue Medical Center. Ouidade has a strong expertise in musculoskeletal ultrasound and ultrasound-guided joint interventions. She is actively involved in professional societies, including EMUNET, OMERACT Ultrasound Group, and Young-GRAPPA.
Her main interests are inflammatory rheumatic diseases, musculoskeletal ultrasound, and vascular involvement in autoimmune conditions.
Moldova
Victoria Sadovici-Bobeica
Victoria is an assistant professor at the Department of Internal Medicine of the State University of Medicine and Pharmacy “Nicolae Testemitanu” in Moldova and Rheumatologist at the International Hospital Medpark, Moldova. She graduated from the same university in 2009.
Her main interests are systemic diseases and systemic lupus erythematosus.
Netherlands
Hannah den Braanker
Hannah is a rheumatology resident and researcher with a PhD in translational immunology. She is passionate about bridging basic research and clinical practice, fostering international collaboration, and supporting young professionals as they develop their careers in rheumatology.
Her main interests are immunopathology of psoriatic arthritis, including the role of T cells and lymphatic vessels in rheumatic diseases as well as the intersection of obesity and inflammatory arthritis.
North Macedonia
Ana Vasilevska
Ana is a full-time consultant rheumatologist at the University Clinic for Rheumatology and a teaching assistant at the Faculty of Medicine, Ss. Cyril and Methodius University in Skopje. She is committed to advancing translational research, fostering interdisciplinary collaboration, and contributing to the future of Macedonian rheumatology through education and innovation.
Her main interests are autoimmune and musculoskeletal diseases, with particular interest in SLE, rheumatoid arthritis, axial spondyloarthritis and vasculitides, biomarker diagnostics.
Norway
Jens Vikse
Jens is a senior consultant and PhD student at the Department of rheumatology, Stavanger University Hospital. Author of two Norwegian medical textbooks in immunology and rheumatology, and host of a Norwegian educational rheumatology podcast.
His main interests are IgG4-related disease, systemic sclerosis, interstitial lung disease
Poland
Aleksandra Opinc-Rosiak
Aleksandra is a trainee in rheumatology at the University Clinical Hospital No 2 in Lodz and a research and teaching assistant at the Department of Rheumatology, Medical University of Lodz, Poland. In 2022, she finalized her PhD on cardiovascular involvement in idiopathic inflammatory myopathies. Aleksandra is a member of Polish Rheumatology Society (PTR), Section of Young Rheumatologists of PTR, International Myositis Society (iMyos), MYONET, European Academy of Allergy and Clinical Immunology (EAACI).
Her main interests are idiopathic inflammatory myopathies, autoantibodies and CTD-ILD, currently interferon responses within airway epithelium.
Portugal
Sofia Ferreira Azevedo
Sofia is a 5th year Rheumatology resident at Rheumatology Department, Unidade Local de Saúde da Região de Aveiro, Aveiro-Portugal and an Investigator at Aveiro Rheumatology Research Center, Aveiro-Portugal.
Romania
Stefan Dinescu
Stefan holds a position of Associate Professor at the Department of Rheumatology, University of Medicine and Pharmacy Craiova, Romania and works as a rheumatology clinician at the Emergency County Hospital Craiova, Romania. He would like to share ideas from Emeunet and develop working groups within the national young rheumatologist society.
His main interests are musculoskeletal ultrasound, axial spondyloarthritis
X: stefan_dinescu
Facebook: stefan.dinescu.33
Instagram: stef.dinescu
Serbia
Jelena Čolić
Jelena is an internal medicine specialist focusing on rheumatology and a clinical assistant in internal medicine at the Faculty of Medicine, University of Belgrade, Serbia. She obtained her PhD in epidemiology in 2023 with a thesis on haemostasis disturbances in systemic sclerosis and is currently a postdoctoral researcher at Karolinska Institutet, Sweden, where she works on vascular alterations across different rheumatic and musculoskeletal diseases. She serves as head of the EUSTAR Young Investigator Group, is an active member of the Serbian National Rheumatology Society.
Her main interests are systemic sclerosis, vascular alterations, extracellular vesicles, and therapeutic approaches
Linkedin: linkedin.com/in/colic-jelena-304136140
Slovakia
Zusana Staussova
Zusana finished medical faculty in 2016 and started working at the Internal Medicine Department in Nitra, Slovakia since 2016. She finished her specialty in rheumatology in 2023. She is currently working at her private practice as a rheumatologist in Slovakia.
Her main interests are MSK ultrasound and inflammatory disesases.
Slovenia
Blaž Pavlakovic
Blaz is a rheumatology resident from Slovenia, currently working between Novo mesto General Hospital and University Medical Centre Ljubljana, where he is doing his training.
His main interests are ultrasound imaging, vasculitides and transitional care
X: @BlazPavlakovic
Spain
José Miguel Sequí Sabater
José is a rheumatology consultant at the University Hospital of La Ribera in Alzira, Valencia, and also collaborates at the University and Polytechnic Hospital La Fe in Valencia. In addition, he is a PhD student at the University of Córdoba through the Maimonides Biomedical Research Institute of Córdoba (IMIBIC) and a research collaborator in the lupus and autoimmunity group at the Karolinska Institute in Stockholm, Sweden.
His main interests are Systemic lupus erythematosus and Sjögren’s disease, application of artificial intelligence in rheumatology research and patient care
X: @drjsequirheum
LinkedIn: linkedin.com/in/josé-miguel-sequí-sabater-15b1892a8/
Sweden
Alexandra Cîrciumaru
Alexandra is a rheumatology consultant and clinical researcher based in Stockholm, working at the Center for Rheumatology in Stockholm and affiliated with Karolinska Institutet.
Her main interests are musculoskeletal and vascular ultrasound and early disease detection with a focus on giant cell arteritis and rheumatoid arthritis
Linkedin: linkedin.com/in/alexandra-cîrciumaru-05122239/
Switzerland
Muriel Elhai
Muriel is a senior consultant rheumatologist at the University Hospital Zurich and a group leader at the Centre for Experimental Rheumatology. She has significant expertise in both clinical and translational research and is strongly committed to advancing collaborative approaches involving patient research partners in rheumatology.
Her main interests are joint involvement in systemic sclerosis
Linkedin: linkedin.com/in/muriel-elhai-372852244/
Turkey
Tugba Izci Duran
Tugba is a rheumatologist based in Türkiye, currently working at Denizli State Hospital. She completed her specialization at Ondokuz Mayıs University and pursued research training at Charité Berlin. She is a member of the Turkish Rheumatology Society-Young (TSR-Young) and the leader of its Education Subgroup. She is also a member of the Y-GRAPPA newsletter subgroup.
Her main interests are psoriatic arthritis, axial spondyloarthritis, Imaging in rheumatology, health education and global collaboration in rheumatology
X: @tugbaizci
LinkedIn: linkedin.com/in/tugba-izci-duran-51a032298/
UK (England)
Faidra Laksou
Faidra is a NIHR Clinical Lecturer in Rheumatology at the University of Southampton and in her final year of specialty training in Rheumatology and General Medicine in Wessex Deanery, UK. She is the lead organiser of a regional ultrasound course for trainees in Wessex (FURST). She is a member of the EULAR task force for Rheumatoid arthritis for the new EULAR guidelines for Rheumatoid arthritis 2025 and has acted as a trainee representative for Rheumatology trainees in Wessex Deanery.
Her main interests are muscle and bone interrelationships, sarcopenia in inflammatory diseases, connective tissue diseases and giant cell arteritis, as well as musculoskeletal imaging and more specifically ultrasound.
UK (Scotland)
Andrew McGucken
Andrew is a rheumatology trainee in the West of Scotland and a PhD candidate at the University of Glasgow
His main interests are novel technologies to advance the understanding of fatigue in people living with psoriatic arthritis.
Ukraine
Bohdana Doskaliuk
Bohdana is an Associate Professor at Ivano-Frankivsk National Medical University, Ukraine. Her PhD research focused on pulmonary involvement in systemic sclerosis and its potential correction. In 2019 she received Publons Peer Review Award in Clinical Medicine. Bohdana serves as an Associate Editor for Rheumatology International and is the Editorial Board member for Therapeutic Advances in Musculoskeletal Disease, Rheumatology Advances in Practice and BMC Rheumatology.
Her main interests are pathogenesis of autoimmune disorders, with a particular focus on understanding their underlying mechanisms and impacts.
Advisory Country Liaisons
Jean-Guillaume Letarouilly
Jean-Guillaume is an Associate Professor of Rheumatology at Lille University Hospital. He is a former member of the EMEUNET Subcommittees. He is also a member of the Young-GRAPPA and the French Society of Rheumatology.
His main interests are basic and translational science, stromal involvement in arthritis, VEXAS and autoinflammatory diseases.
X: @JGLetarouilly
Bluesky: @jgletarouilly.bsky.social
Linkedin: linkedin.com/in/jean-guillaume-letarouilly-6bb936254/
Emiliano Marasco
Emiliano is a physician-scientist holding a Master’s degree in Medical Biotechnology from the University of Milan and a Medical Doctorate from the University of Rome “Tor Vergata”, where he also completed a PhD in Immunology. He trained in Rheumatology at the San Matteo Hospital in Pavia.
His main interests are tolerance checkpoints of autoreactive B cells in systemic lupus erythematosus and juvenile idiopathic arthritis; big data analysis and omics technologies.
Elise Van Mulligen
Elise is a clinical epidemiologist and postdoc researcher at the department of Rheumatology of the LUMC and Erasmus MC in the Netherlands.
Cristiana Sieiro Santos
Cristiana is a rheumatologist and clinical researcher trained at the Complejo Asistencial Universitario de León (Spain), currently serving as a Clinical and Research Fellow at the University of Manchester, and at the Kellgren Centre for Rheumatology, Manchester Royal Infirmary (UK). She obtained her PhD at the University of León, focusing on vaccine immunogenicity in patients with immune-mediated rheumatic diseases. She is actively involved in EUSTAR, SLEuro, and JOVREUM. Cristiana is the Chair of the EMEUNET Country Liaison Subcommittee.
Her main interests are connective tissue diseases, including systemic sclerosis, systemic lupus erythematosus, and reproductive health in rheumatic diseases.
LinkedIn: linkedin.com/in/cristiana-sieiro-santos/
Gizem Ayan
Gizem is a rheumatologist in Ankara, Türkiye. She is actively engaged in several international research networks, including Y-GRAPPA and EMEUNET, where she contributes to educational initiatives, mentorship programs, and collaborative projects. Gizem is currently a research fellow at Leiden University, working on imaging-focused studies within the SPACE and AXIOMA cohorts. In addition, she is involved in registry-based projects in Türkiye, including HUR-BIO, PsART-ID, the TReasure registry, and national health data initiatives.
Her main interests are inflammatory arthritis, particularly axial spondyloarthritis and psoriatic arthritis, with research focusing on clinical outcomes and imaging.
X: @drgizemayan
Linkedin: linkedin.com/in/gizem-ayan-772790a8/
On behalf of the EMEUNET Country Liaison Sub-Committee
Alvaro Gomez and Jennifer Amsler