Physician Profile

Raphael Hirsch, MD, is the Aldo V. Londino Jr., MD, Professor of Pediatrics and chief of the Division of Pediatric Rheumatology at Children's Hospital of Pittsburgh and the University of Pittsburgh School of Medicine. He came to Pittsburgh in 2002, bringing a rich background in research, clinical care and teaching to the hospital, its patients and the university. Under his direction, Children's pediatric rheumatology program has grown from a one-physician division to one of the largest and most comprehensive programs in the United States, with six full-time faculty, an experienced clinical staff and a National Institutes of Health (NIH) -funded research laboratory.

Dr. Hirsch came from Cincinnati Children's Hospital Medical Center and the University of Cincinnati College of Medicine, where he was professor of pediatrics with tenure and was on the faculty of the graduate program in developmental and molecular biology. Prior to his academic appointment in Cincinnati, he was a pediatric rheumatology fellow at Children's National Medical Center, Washington, D.C. From 1986 to 1991, Dr. Hirsch was a medical staff fellow at the National Cancer Institute, focusing his research on modulation of T-cell function in transplantation and autoimmunity. He earned a bachelor's degree in biology from Northwestern University, Chicago, in 1979 and his medical degree from the University of Illinois College of Medicine in 1983. Dr. Hirsch completed his residency at the University of Minnesota, where he served as chief pediatric resident from 1983 to 1986.

At Children's Hospital of Pittsburgh, Dr. Hirsch leads an NIH-funded research program focused on answering fundamental questions about arthritis. His areas of expertise include gene transfer, gene expression in arthritis, modulation of T-cell immune responses and therapy of autoimmune diseases. The NIH has continuously funded Dr. Hirsch since 1992. His work also has received support from the Arthritis Foundation, American College of Rheumatology and Ohio Cancer Research Associates.

Dr. Hirsch is board-certified in pediatrics and pediatric rheumatology. He is a member of the American Academy of Pediatrics, Society for Pediatric Research, American Pediatric Society, American Association of Immunologists, American College of Rheumatology, American Society of Gene Therapy and American Society for Clinical Investigation. He also serves on the editorial board of Modern Rheumatology.