"What I am most excited to follow at ACR Convergence 2026 is how advances in therapeutics, imaging, and biomarkers are beginning to reshape the way we think about Sjögren’s disease. With multiple targeted therapies showing efficacy in clinical trials, the next challenge is to understand which disease manifestations and patient subsets are most likely to respond to a given mechanism of action. I am particularly interested in whether these drugs may improve glandular function and have a positive effect on fatigue, one of the most debilitating symptoms of Sjögren’s disease. Additionally, salivary gland ultrasound and emerging biomarkers may help characterize endotypes and disease activity, respectively, and may identify treatment-responsive populations. Ultimately, these advances may help us move beyond treating Sjögren’s as a single disease and toward a more individualized approach to therapy."

“At ACR Convergence 2026, I am looking forward to the presentations on new clinical trial data for Sjögren’s disease. Historically, treatment for Sjögren’s disease has mostly been symptomatic, but we now have multiple targeted therapies in phase 3 trials. I will be looking out for the overall efficacy data, as well as the data on which patients are most likely to benefit from each therapy. In addition, I anticipate that new data will be shared on repurposing already available medications for Sjögren’s disease. Lastly, I will be on the lookout for presentations that share new insights on the pathophysiology of Sjögren’s disease, as these will surely give rise to new therapeutic targets."