Rate My Professor Melissa Elder

Melissa E. Elder, M.D., Ph.D., serves as Professor and Chief of the Division of Allergy, Immunology, and Rheumatology in the Department of Pediatrics at the University of Florida College of Medicine. She earned her Ph.D. in Microbiology and Immunology from the University of Florida in 1982, followed by her M.D. from the same institution in 1986. Dr. Elder completed her residency in Pediatrics at Johns Hopkins Hospital in 1989 and her fellowship in Pediatric Rheumatology at the University of California, San Francisco in 1992. She is board certified in both Pediatrics and Pediatric Rheumatology by the American Board of Pediatrics. Holding the Lowe Family Professorship in Pediatric Immunology and Allergies, she oversees clinical care, research, and training in pediatric immunology and rheumatology at the University of Florida.

Dr. Elder's research and clinical expertise encompass a wide range of pediatric autoimmune and rheumatic conditions, including angioedema, atopic dermatitis, autoimmune disorders, dermatomyositis, granulomatosis with polyangiitis, immunodeficiency disorders, juvenile idiopathic arthritis, osteomyelitis in children, polyarteritis nodosa, rheumatoid arthritis, sarcoidosis, scleroderma, selective IgA deficiency, systemic lupus erythematosus, Takayasu arteritis, and uveitis. Her investigative work focuses on immunosuppressive agents, rituximab, autoantibodies, and T-lymphocytes. She participates as an investigator in several active clinical trials, such as SMART-JIA, an open-label randomized multicenter trial for juvenile idiopathic arthritis; CAIN457G22101, evaluating secukinumab in pediatric psoriatic arthritis; and the Pediatric Vasculitis initiative. With 49 publications and 1,787 citations, her scholarship has advanced understanding and treatment of complex pediatric rheumatologic diseases. As Chief, Dr. Elder directs the Pediatric Rheumatology Fellowship Program, contributing to the training of future specialists and enhancing workforce development in the field. She has taught elective courses in pediatrics, including MDT7400 and MEL7937.