A UA professor was recognized for his research in arthritis last week in a dinner ceremony.

Dr. David Yocum, associate professor in the College of Medicine, was given the humanitarian award for advancement in the field of arthritis research Wednesday night. He helped develop new therapy treatments, specifically targeted at rheumatoid arthritis.

Yocum, who is also the director of the Arizona Arthritis Center at the Arizona Health Sciences Center, received the award from the Southern Arizona chapter of the Arthritis Foundation.

"Dr. Yocum embodies the mission of the Arthritis foundation," said Ann-Eve Cunningham, director of development and public relations at the Arthritis Foundation.

"Our mission is to find a cure and prevention for arthritis while improving the quality of life for those who suffer from arthritis," Cunningham said.

Yocum and other Arthritis Center researchers discovered that prescribing two or three drugs to treat arthritis was more effective than using only one kind of drug. He said that using a combination of drugs in lower doses helps prevent patients from becomi ng immune to the medications.

This research "has created a whole new area in development and treatment of rheumatoid arthritis," he said.

Tina Pearson, a nurse at the AAC said, "Dr. Yocum is on the cutting edge of technology. He offers treatment that people cannot get anywhere else."

Under Yocum's direction, the research center studies the basic mechanisms of arthritis, such as the role of stress and hormones, especially in Native Americans and Hispanics.

Yocum "has wonderful ideas about where the next levels of arthritis research can go," said Bridget Walsh, assistant professor of clinical medicine, who trained with Yocum and has worked on several projects with him.

"He is dedicated to finding a cure and is an endless source of encouragement and ideas for research on arthritis," she said.

Yocum said his goal for the future as director of the AAC "is to cultivate a strong area of research to fight and prevent arthritis."

Before being appointed director in 1994, he was the center's research director. Yocum has been with the University of Arizona for 10 years and has worked with arthritis research for the past 15 years.

The center is one of seven centers of excellence at the College of Medicine and was one of the first to employ a multi-disciplinary approach to combat arthritis, bone and connective tissue diseases.

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