William H. Robinson, MD, PhD

Dr. Robinson is the James W. Raitt, MD, Professor of Medicine as well as Chief of the Division of Immunology and Rheumatology at Stanford University. Dr. Robinson’s laboratory’s overarching research objective is to elucidate the molecular and cellular mechanisms underlying autoimmune diseases, and to leverage these insights to develop next-generation diagnostics and therapeutics. He draws upon his experiences as a researcher, clinician and entrepreneur to lead researchers and clinicians to decipher the mechanisms underlying pathogenic and protective immune responses, and to turn their scientific discoveries into tomorrow’s transformational solutions. A major focus of Dr. Robinson’s research is on investigating the role of B cells in autoimmune disease, with an emphasis on rheumatoid arthritis (RA), systemic lupus erythematosus (SLE) and multiple sclerosis (MS). Autoimmune diseases affect 3-5% of the world population, yet the pathogenesis of most autoimmune diseases remains unclear. Moreover, current therapies globally modulate immune function, resulting in potentially severe side effects, and are not curative, serving only to slow disease progression. Dr. Robinson completed his graduate training at Stanford University and UCSF before joining the faculty of Stanford. As an entrepreneur, Dr. Robinson has been involved in the creation of several biotechnology companies including Atreca and Primal Therapeutics among others.