Dr. Urlich Specks gives a high-level overview of two specific forms of vasculitis: Granulomatosis with Polyangitiis (GPA/formerly Wegener’s) and Microscopic Polyangiitis (MPA).
Ulrich Specks, MD · Chair, Division of Pulmonology and Critical Care, Mayo Clinic Rochester; and Professor of Medicine, Mayo Clinic College of Medicine & Sciences, Rochester, Minnesota
Dr. Specks is Chair of the Division of Pulmonary & Critical Care Medicine and has had a long-standing interest in ANCA-associated vasculitis. These diseases have been the focus of his clinical activities as well as widely published research. He’s made substantial contributions to the understanding of the pathogenesis of ANCA-associated vasculitis, the refinement of ANCA test methodologies, and our understanding of optimal clinical applications of ANCA testing. Dr. Specks is an expert for respiratory manifestations of vasculitis and has had a keen interest in novel therapies for ANCA-associated vasculitis. He introduced rituximab to the treatment of ANCA-associated vasculitis and was co-principal investigator of the Rituximab for ANCA-associated Vasculitis (RAVE) trial.