Haralampos M. Moutsopoulos, MD, FACP, FRCP

Immunology and Rheumatology in Questions, 2nd Edition addresses through short and concise questions-and-answers (Q&As) on one hand all major aspects of basic clinical and laboratory immunology necessary for understanding underlying immunological mechanisms of autoimmune rheumatic diseases. The majority however of Q&As in this book presents in a laconic way definitions, pathogenetic aspects, clinical and laboratory manifestations, differential diagnosis and the management of all categories of rheumatic diseases including systemic autoimmune, autoinflammatory, metabolic and degenerative. Furthermore, in separate sections of this manual Q&As addressing rheumatic manifestations from other organ systems are included. Finally, a chapter is devoted to treatment of rheumatic diseases analyzing indications and side-effects of different therapeutic modalities with illustrations and diagrams utilized throughout the book to present the information in a clear and schematic way.

This autobiography chronicles the life and career of Haralampos M. Moutsopoulos, an internationally renowned professor of medicine and prolific researcher on Sjögren’s syndrome and autoimmune rheumatic diseases. In language that is simple and direct, he takes us on a fascinating journey from the days of his first scientific awakenings at a hospital in his native town of Ioannina, Greece, through his university years in Athens and training in the U.S., to his eventual return to his homeland. In Greece, he developed two centers of excellence in his field, first at the newly founded University of Ioannina Medical School Department of Internal Medicine and, second, at the Athens University Medical School, Department of Pathophysiology, where he taught until his retirement in 2011. Along the way, he introduces us to his teachers and mentors, and to the colleagues and students he mentored in turn, many of whom went on to assume high-ranking positions in Greece and abroad. A major theme throughout the book is his impassioned struggle for excellence, meritocracy, and transparency in universities and in the National Health System in Greece. Peppered with both amusing and unsettling incidents from this lifelong crusade to raise professional standards and against misconduct, the book is a must-read for anyone interested in learning about or entering the medical profession.