Joanne Sahhar

Joanne Sahhar is an Adjunct Clinical Associate Professor in the Faculty of Medicine at Monash University and a practicing rheumatologist at Monash Health. She serves as Head of the Scleroderma Clinic within the Centre for Inflammatory Disease, where she leads clinical and research initiatives focused on systemic sclerosis and related autoimmune conditions.

Her research interests center on systemic sclerosis, interstitial lung disease, pulmonary hypertension, biomarkers, and Raynaud phenomenon. She investigates the epidemiology, clinical outcomes, and environmental influences on scleroderma, with a strong emphasis on improving early diagnosis and treatment strategies.

Her recent publications demonstrate a consistent focus on clinical outcomes in scleroderma, including the impact of the COVID-19 pandemic on care access, risk assessment for pulmonary hypertension, and outcomes of stem cell transplantation. These works reflect a multidisciplinary approach integrating rheumatology, cardiology, and environmental health.

• ARA President’s Prize for Excellence in Collaborative Research (2018)
• Paper selected for Best of ICB/CTI Workshop at 2019 ASI Annual Scientific Meeting

Dr. Sahhar actively supervises PhD students and collaborates widely across national and international research networks. She holds leadership roles as Chair of the Australian Working Group for Autologous Stem Cell Transplantation in Scleroderma and as a member of the executive and scientific committees of the Australian Scleroderma Interest Group. She also serves as a reviewer for journals including Arthritis and Rheumatology, J Rheumatology, and Rheumatology International.

She is actively involved in clinical research and mentoring, contributing significantly to the advancement of knowledge in scleroderma and autoimmune rheumatic diseases.