https://www.gosh.nhs.uk/our-people/staff-z/clarissa-pilkington/

Clarissa Pilkington

Clarissa Pilkington
Dr Clarissa Pilkington has been a Consultant in Adolescent and Paediatric Rheumatology at University College Hospital and Great Ormond Street Hospital (GOSH) since September 2001. She has led the Rheumatology team at GOSH since 2004.

The Rheumatology team at GOSH consists of a multi-disciplinary team that includes doctors, nurses, physiotherapists, occupational therapists, psychologists and administrative staff. All of the members of the team are highly motivated and passionate about the care of the patients and their families. This leads to a dynamic team which it is a pleasure to work in. The team constantly strives to improve the patient experience and the quality of the care given

Clarissa Pilkington

Specialisms

Dr Pilkington has a special interest in Juvenile Dermatomyositis (JDM) and Systemic Lupus Erythematosus (SLE). She is also an expert on arthritis, scleroderma and musculoskeletal pain.

Dr Pilkington is President of the British Society for Paediatric and Adolescent Rheumatology (BSPAR) (September 2012-2015).

Qualifications

  • 1981 BSc (Hons) Class 1, UCL: Neuroanatomy and Immunology.
  • 1984 MMBS Middlesex Hospital Medical School.
  • 1989 MRCP (Paediatrics).
  • 2000 CCST Paediatrics and Paediatric Rheumatology. 
Dr Pilkington trained in paediatrics in London, undertook five years of research at UCLMS and then trained in paediatric rheumatology at GOSH and University College Hospital.

Research Interests

Dr Pilkington specialises in clinical research on Juvenile Dermatomyositis (JDM) and Systemic Lupus Erythematosus (SLE). She runs clinics dedicated for both JDM and SLE. Dr Pilkington helped set up the UK JDM Registry and cohort study, as well as being involved in international research on  JDM: disease activity and damage scores, diagnostic criteria (on steering committee for Classification Criteria Project for myositis), treatment protocols (CARRA and PReS), clinical trials (PRINTO JDM Trial on prednisolone, methotrexate and cyclosporine). Dr Pilkington has been Clinical Director of Juvenile Dermatomyositis Research Centre, ICH since 2002 and was Chair of Dermatomyositis Group of PRES (Paediatric Rheumatology European Society) from 2004 to 2010.

Dr Pilkington is a founder member of the UK paediatric SLE study group, setting up a UK cohort study and database, as well as international clinical research into juvenile SLE, including defining flare criteria.

Dr Pilkington is the principal investigator for the Biologics and Extended Biologics Registry and for the PLUTO belimumab SLE trial at GOSH.