Leigh F. Callahan

Leigh F. Callahan is a Professor at the University of North Carolina (UNC) School of Medicine, affiliated with the Department of Medicine and Division of Rheumatology, Allergy, and Immunology. She serves as Associate Director of the Thurston Arthritis Research Center and Director of the Osteoarthritis Action Alliance (OAAA), a coalition of 140+ organizations advancing public health agendas for osteoarthritis (OA).

• Education: B.A. from UNC Chapel Hill, Ph.D. from Vanderbilt University

Her research spans four decades, focusing on physical activity interventions for arthritis, social determinants of health, patient-reported outcomes, and mortality trends in rheumatic diseases. She has led seven large-scale trials involving 3,400+ participants across 41 North Carolina counties.

Recent publications highlight her work on diet/exercise trials for knee OA, socioeconomic disparities in joint disease, and public health frameworks for OA management. Articles emphasize interdisciplinary approaches combining rheumatology, epidemiology, and social sciences.

Scientific leadership includes:

• NIAMS-funded UNC Core Center for Clinical Research
• OAAA Director
• Collaborations across UNC campus and North Carolina communities