Kenneth Kalunian, MD
Enriched profileProfessor of Medicine and Rheumatology; Wolfe Family Director, UC San Diego Lupus Center; Vice Chief of Clinical Research · University of California, San Diego
Kenneth Kalunian is Professor of Medicine and Rheumatology; Wolfe Family Director, UC San Diego Lupus Center; Vice Chief of Clinical Research at University of California, San Diego. OpenAlex indexes 379 publications with 26,876 citations (h-index 75); ClinicalTrials.gov lists 7 registered studies with this person as an investigator. By OpenAlex citation count, this profile ranks in the top 10% of Rheumatology profiles in the findmyKOL directory.
Data verified 14 Aug 2026
Overview
Updated 14 Oct 2026
Kenneth Kalunian, MD, is Professor of Medicine and Rheumatology at University of California, San Diego, School of Medicine. The public record shows 379 publications with 26,876 citations (h-index 75), centered on Systemic Lupus Erythematosus Research, Rheumatoid Arthritis Research and Therapies, Monoclonal and Polyclonal Antibodies Research. It also documents an investigator role on 7 registered clinical trials, industry payments reported by 27 companies, 2 NIH-funded awards (2001–2010).
- Most recent indexed publication: 2025 · The Journal of experimental medicine
- Top research focus: Systemic Lupus Erythematosus Research
- 7 registered trials on ClinicalTrials.gov
- Open Payments reporting from 27 companies
Generated from the cited public record · current as of 14 Oct 2026. Every fact links its source below.
Indications focus
from trials led + research topicsResearch focus
OpenAlex concept fingerprintDrugs & molecules
across trials, industry payments and publicationsWorks with
trial sponsors and companies reporting paymentsScholarship
indexed output and impact (OpenAlex)Distinct works indexed by OpenAlex, matched via ORCID; 4 in PubMed.
Total citations across indexed works.
Hirsch index (OpenAlex). i10-index 177.
Clinical & industry
trials, payments and federal fundingContact
The practice address and phone this provider lists in the federal NPPES (CMS) registry.
Practice address
Telephone
Practice address and telephone from the federal NPPES registry.
Sign in to view contact details →Clinical trials
Updated 14 Oct 2026
Listed as an investigator on 7 registered studies on ClinicalTrials.gov. The most recent:
- VIBRANT: VIB4920 for Active Lupus Nephritis
Sponsor: National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases (NIAID)
- Bone Marrow Aspirate Concentrate (BMAC)Treatment for Knee Osteoarthritis
Sponsor: University of California, San Diego
Industry payments
Updated 14 Oct 2026
27 companies reported payments to CMS in program years 2021–2025. These are public disclosures, not judgments. The latest:
- AstraZeneca Pharmaceuticals LPProgram year20258 payments
- Genentech, Inc.Program year20256 payments
- F. Hoffmann-La Roche AGProgram year20252 payments
Medicare prescribing footprint (2024)
The drugs this prescriber writes for Medicare patients, grouped by drug class and therapeutic area. Every percentage is a share of their total prescribing, so you can see what they prescribe most. These are proportions, not patient counts or dollar amounts. No condition is inferred: the claims record what was prescribed, never why.
Cancer & immunology
42.4%TNF inhibitor17.4%Enbrel Sureclick56%Humira16%Humira(Cf) Pen16%Enbrel12%Part D<11 patientsFolate Analog Metabolic Inhibitor6.8%Methotrexate100%Part D<11 patients+ 7 more classes in this area
Antiparasitic
26.6%Antimalarial26.6%Hydroxychloroquine Sulfate100%Part D≥41 patientsMetabolism & gastrointestinal
13.2%Corticosteroid11.6%Prednisone100%Part D≥18 patientsInsulin Analog1.6%Toujeo Max Solostar100%Part D<11 patients
Drug classes come from the WHO ATC and U.S. National Library of Medicine (RxClass) classifications; prescribing counts come from the CMS Medicare Part D Prescribers file. Each drug is counted once, under its primary class. Medicare fee-for-service only, so no Medicare Advantage, commercial, or pediatric prescribing is included. CMS publishes this data about 17 months after the fact.
NIH funding
Updated 14 Oct 2026
2 NIH research awards on record, funded 2001–2010 per NIH RePORTER. The latest:
- CLINICAL TRIAL: MULTICENTER TRIAL OF CTLA4IG (ABATACEPT) PLUS CYCLOPHOSPHAMIDE V
University of California, San Diego
FY2010$1,899M01RR000827 - PHASE II TRIAL OF IDEC131 IN PATIENTS WITH ACTIVE SLE
University of California Los Angeles
FY2001M01RR000865
Publications
Updated 14 Oct 2026
Their five most recent publications, matched to their ORCID record and linked to PubMed.
- A human-mouse atlas of intrarenal myeloid cells identifies conserved disease-associated macrophages in lupus nephritis.
The Journal of experimental medicine
Article2025 - Regarding Arthroscopy: Can Orthopedists and Rheumatologists Be Friends?
Journal of clinical rheumatology
Article2022 - Will rheumatologists ever pick up the arthroscope again?
International journal of rheumatic diseases
Review2021
Most-cited works
by citation count (OpenAlex)Network
Updated 14 Oct 2026
The people this person publishes with most, by number of co-authored papers. Names link to their own profile when we have one.
Online presence
Updated 14 Oct 2026
This person's own public accounts first, then places where others mention them. Two different things, listed separately.
Owned accounts
public accounts run by this person- Doximity
doximity.com/pub/kenneth-kalunian-md
verifiedCorroborated by findmyKOL. We matched this record across two or more independent public sources (or a verified ORCID / NPI identifier bridge) before attributing it to this person.How we verify →doximity.com ↗ - LinkedIn
linkedin.com/in/kenneth-kalunian-35a5a9291
verifiedCorroborated by findmyKOL. We matched this record across two or more independent public sources (or a verified ORCID / NPI identifier bridge) before attributing it to this person.How we verify →linkedin.com ↗ - ResearchGate
researchgate.net/profile/Kenneth-Kalunian
verifiedCorroborated by findmyKOL. We matched this record across two or more independent public sources (or a verified ORCID / NPI identifier bridge) before attributing it to this person.How we verify →researchgate.net ↗ - ResearchGate
researchgate.net/profile/Kenneth-Kalunian-2
verifiedCorroborated by findmyKOL. We matched this record across two or more independent public sources (or a verified ORCID / NPI identifier bridge) before attributing it to this person.How we verify →researchgate.net ↗ - ResearchGate
researchgate.net/profile/Kenneth-Kalunian-3
verifiedCorroborated by findmyKOL. We matched this record across two or more independent public sources (or a verified ORCID / NPI identifier bridge) before attributing it to this person.How we verify →researchgate.net ↗
Mentions by others
where others cite or feature them- Other
lupustherapeutics.org/team-member/kenneth-kalunian-md
verifiedCorroborated by findmyKOL. We matched this record across two or more independent public sources (or a verified ORCID / NPI identifier bridge) before attributing it to this person.How we verify →lupustherapeutics.org ↗ - Other
rheumnow.live/b/sp/ken-kalunian-82
verifiedCorroborated by findmyKOL. We matched this record across two or more independent public sources (or a verified ORCID / NPI identifier bridge) before attributing it to this person.How we verify →rheumnow.live ↗
We list an account only when the public record ties it to this person. verified means we've confirmed the match in more than one place; provisional means it looks right but we're still confirming.
Background & recognition
Updated 14 Oct 2026
Credentials, appointments and honors, newest first, each linked to the public source it came from.
Education
degrees and training on record- MD
St. Louis University School of Medicine
verifiedCorroborated by findmyKOL. We matched this record across two or more independent public sources (or a verified ORCID / NPI identifier bridge) before attributing it to this person.How we verify →profiles.ucsd.edu ↗ - AB in Chemistry (magna cum laude)
Occidental College
verifiedCorroborated by findmyKOL. We matched this record across two or more independent public sources (or a verified ORCID / NPI identifier bridge) before attributing it to this person.How we verify →profiles.ucsd.edu ↗ - verifiedCorroborated by findmyKOL. We matched this record across two or more independent public sources (or a verified ORCID / NPI identifier bridge) before attributing it to this person.How we verify →sliccgroup.org ↗
- Board certified
Internal Medicine (American Board of Internal Medicine)
provisionalFound in a cited public source but not yet independently corroborated. Published as a labeled candidate and queued for verification.How we verify →health.usnews.com ↗
Editorial & leadership roles
journal and society appointments- Chair
Steering Committee, Lupus Research Alliance Clinical Investigator Network (LuCIN)
verifiedCorroborated by findmyKOL. We matched this record across two or more independent public sources (or a verified ORCID / NPI identifier bridge) before attributing it to this person.How we verify →sliccgroup.org ↗ - Founder and first director
Lupus Foundation of America Collective Data Analysis Initiative
provisionalFound in a cited public source but not yet independently corroborated. Published as a labeled candidate and queued for verification.How we verify →lupustherapeutics.org ↗ - Former President
Southern California Rheumatology Society
provisionalFound in a cited public source but not yet independently corroborated. Published as a labeled candidate and queued for verification.How we verify →lupustherapeutics.org ↗ - Member
Scientific Advisory Boards, Lupus Research Alliance and Lupus Foundation of America
provisionalFound in a cited public source but not yet independently corroborated. Published as a labeled candidate and queued for verification.How we verify →lupustherapeutics.org ↗ - Member
multiple NIAMS (NIH) grant review committees
provisionalFound in a cited public source but not yet independently corroborated. Published as a labeled candidate and queued for verification.How we verify →lupustherapeutics.org ↗
Secondary affiliations
appointments beyond the home institution- Co-Director
UC San Diego Center for Innovative Therapy
verifiedCorroborated by findmyKOL. We matched this record across two or more independent public sources (or a verified ORCID / NPI identifier bridge) before attributing it to this person.How we verify →sliccgroup.org ↗ - Director
UC San Diego Lupus Center of Excellence / Lupus Clinical Trials Consortium
verifiedCorroborated by findmyKOL. We matched this record across two or more independent public sources (or a verified ORCID / NPI identifier bridge) before attributing it to this person.How we verify →sliccgroup.org ↗ - Director
UC San Diego Osteoarthritis Center
provisionalFound in a cited public source but not yet independently corroborated. Published as a labeled candidate and queued for verification.How we verify →hcplive.com ↗ - Member
Clinical and Translational Research Institute, UCSD
verifiedCorroborated by findmyKOL. We matched this record across two or more independent public sources (or a verified ORCID / NPI identifier bridge) before attributing it to this person.How we verify →sliccgroup.org ↗ - Board Co-Chair
Lupus Therapeutics
verifiedCorroborated by findmyKOL. We matched this record across two or more independent public sources (or a verified ORCID / NPI identifier bridge) before attributing it to this person.How we verify →lupustherapeutics.org ↗ - Member
Systemic Lupus International Collaborating Clinics (SLICC)
verifiedCorroborated by findmyKOL. We matched this record across two or more independent public sources (or a verified ORCID / NPI identifier bridge) before attributing it to this person.How we verify →sliccgroup.org ↗
Media & interviews
press, podcasts and appearances- Contributing author/expert source
HCPLive (clinical news portal covering rheumatology/lupus topics)
provisionalFound in a cited public source but not yet independently corroborated. Published as a labeled candidate and queued for verification.How we verify →hcplive.com ↗
Every item links to where we found it. verified means we've confirmed it in more than one place; provisional means we found it and are still confirming.
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