Prof. Dr. med. Oliver Distler is a leading international expert in rheumatology, particularly renowned for his work on systemic sclerosis (scleroderma), fibrosis, and related connective tissue diseases. He is Director of Department, Department of Rheumatology of the University Hospital Zürich. Prof. Dr. Distler is responsible for guiding the development of compounds for Systemic sclerosis with regard to cellular models, research strategy, translational development and clinical implications.
His research area his expertise spans from clinical trials, drug development strategies, biomarkers, RNA-omics, animal models, registry analysis, to in vitro functional testing for fibrosis. His career spans three decades with stations in Erlangen, Zurich, University of Gothenburg, Sweden, Stanford University, USA, and University of Florence, Italy. His most important memberships include:
- Chair Executive Committee of the FOREUM Foundation (Foundation for Research in Rheumatology)
- Co-Chair of ERS/EULAR Guidelines (European Respiratory Society)
- Scientific advisory board of the AbbVie Rheumatology Grant
- Member scientific evaluation board, Pfizer Research Foundation
- Member Foundation Board, SCQM (Swiss Clinical Quality Management in Rheumatic Diseases)
- Member Walter-Siegenthaler-Gesellschaft für Fortschritte in der Inneren Medizin
- Scientific advisory board GILS (Gruppo Italiano per la Lotta alla Sclerodermia) Foundation
- Member scientific committee Swiss Society of Rheumatology (SGR)
He has authored over 800 publications, with more than 46,000 citations and an h-index around 73–100 (depending on database), ranking him among the most cited researchers globally in systemic sclerosis.
