D.C.-area rheumatologist receives outstanding government service award

WASHINGTON-The American Medical Association (AMA) presented Lisa G. Rider, MD, with the AMA Award for Outstanding Government Service, recognizing her more than 30 years of federal public service and leadership in improving care for children with autoimmune diseases. A pediatric rheumatologist, she is recognized as one of the nation's leading medical researchers and has helped improve health outcomes for children nationwide.

Dr. Rider serves as head of the Environmental Autoimmunity Group at the National Institute of Environmental Health Sciences, part of the National Institutes of Health in Bethesda, Md. She specializes in the study and treatment of the inflammatory muscle disease myositis in children. Her work has identified key genetic risk factors, developed new treatments, and helped establish the use of specialized blood tests for myositis, allowing physicians to better identify the disease and provide more personalized care for young patients.

"Dr. Rider has devoted more than three decades to changing how autoimmune diseases in children are understood and treated," said AMA Board Chair David H. Aizuss, MD. "Her work has brought clarity and hope to families facing some of the most difficult diagnoses. Through her research and clinical trials, she has helped improve how these diseases are diagnosed, studied, and treated, giving countless children a better chance at healthier lives. It is an honor to present Dr. Rider with the AMA Award for Outstanding Government Service."

Dr. Rider formerly served as a staff scientist at the Food and Drug Administration. She also serves as clinical professor of medicine at George Washington University, where she leads research on juvenile myositis and consults on children and adults with juvenile myositis.

She received her medical degree from Duke University School of Medicine and completed her training in pediatrics and pediatric rheumatology at the University of Washington and Seattle Children's Hospital, and the National Institute of Arthritis and Musculoskeletal and Skin Diseases of the National Institutes of Health.