Elizabeth J. Brant, MD, Secretary

As both a vasculitis patient and healthcare provider, Dr. Brant brings a unique perspective to the VF’s Board of Directors. Currently, she is a nephrologist and Assistant Professor of Medicine at the Geisel School of Medicine at Dartmouth Health.

Dr. Brant wanted to join the board, partly because of the VCRC-VF Fellowship, the mentored training program for physician-investigators who have a strong interest in vasculitis and wish to pursue specialized training. “I personally benefited from being a VF fellow,” she says, “and the experience I gained through those additional two years of training and research have been invaluable in giving me confidence to manage patients on my own.”

In addition, Dr. Brant trained at the University of North Carolina/Chapel Hill under Ronald Falk, MD, and Patrick Nachman, MD, and her general nephrology fellowships also afforded her significant experience in managing vasculitis patients.

After attending her first board meeting, Dr. Brant was struck by the commitment, level of knowledge in various areas of expertise, generosity, and respect of the board members. “The VF is an extraordinary organization, largely thanks to Joyce Kullman being at the helm,” she says. “Everything the VF does is in service to patients, and there’s a wealth of patient advocacy and education in varying formats.

Prior to joining the board, Dr. Brant reviewed grants for the VF. “I think I’m best equipped to engage in educational initiatives. I have a fairly unique perspective from which to think about what approaches might be helpful and accessible to patients.”