Jonathan Samuels, MD

I take great pride in restoring health and providing hope to my patients. I treat a wide variety of people—from a college student grappling with a new diagnosis of rheumatoid arthritis, to a police officer unable to patrol the streets during gout flares, to a Holocaust survivor dealing with severe knee osteoarthritis. I also welcome patients who may have a challenging and rare autoinflammatory condition, such as familial Mediterranean fever. It is a true privilege to hear all of their stories.

My passion in research is more specific. I focus on osteoarthritis, specifically of the knees and hands. This condition—by far the most common type of arthritis and, thus, the one placing the largest burden on society—still lacks a remedy to halt its progression and to prevent the need for surgery. I strive to contribute to significant breakthroughs in osteoarthritis treatment by working on clinical projects and treatment trials, often in collaboration with our orthopedic and bariatric specialists.

I use ultrasound technology in my osteoarthritis research, as well as in collaboration with investigators studying other diseases. Ultrasound has become a highly advanced tool with which we can better understand rheumatologic conditions. I have also incorporated ultrasound into my daily clinical practice, as it has become an invaluable tool for improving both my diagnostic abilities and the success rates of procedures to remove fluid or to inject medications directly into joints.

After living in my native Boston and in Dallas, and having trained in Cleveland, Bethesda, and here in New York City, I believe there is no better place than New York to be a rheumatologist and clinical researcher. I love meeting the people who walk into my office each day. They represent the variety and fabric of this city, with a diversity of backgrounds, interests, cultures, and expertise.

This exposure and opportunity is only magnified by working at NYU Langone, one of New York’s finest medical centers, where our rheumatology division is one of the largest and most accomplished in the nation. I couldn’t be prouder to be a part of it.