Dr. Hughes is a Professor of Medicine in the UAB Division of Clinical Immunology and Rheumatology with a research interest in osteoarthritis, rheumatoid arthritis, and imaging. Her early research and focused on genetics and pharmacogenetics in rheumatoid arthritis, especially in African-Americans. As her clinical activities changed, including in 2010 when she became the Fellowship Program Director and started the UAB Rheumatology Musculoskeletal Ultrasound (MSKUS) Service, her research focus changed. She has incorporated teaching and research into the Musculoskeletal Ultrasound Service. She is an investigator in an NIH study where she obtains ultrasound guided synovial tissue biopsy samples to study the pathobiology of rheumatoid arthritis. She is also a member of the American College of Rheumatology Musculoskeletal Ultrasound Certification in Rheumatology (RhMSUS) Oversight Committee who work to ensure quality and standards in the practice of MSKUS.
Dr. Hughes is dedicated to providing the highest quality clinical and research environment for the trainees in the Rheumatology Fellowship program. This is evidenced by the fellows’ research presence at the ACR Annual Meetings as well as other national meetings. The fellows also serve on several ACR committees. Collaboration and innovation are a trademark of UAB Rheumatology and to that end; Dr. Hughes initiated the Southeastern Rheumatology Objective Structured Clinical Examination (ROSCE) Program. This program invites fellows and Program Directors from across the southeast to UAB for an annual combined training and educational activity.
In addition to serving as the fellowship Program Director, Dr. Hughes serves as the Associate Division Director for Education. In this role, she is dedicated to educating and collaborating with all providers to improve the diagnosis, referral, and timely treatment of patients with rheumatologic diseases. She is the Course Director of the Division’s CME Conference, Update in Rheumatology for Primary Care and Hospitalists. She is also leading an institutional study to assess the use of thermography cameras in helping to identify inflammatory arthritis in the primary care and tele-health care setting.
Dr. Hughes' clinical service includes seeing patients in her faculty clinic (twice a week) and the MSKUS clinic (twice a week). She is a faculty attending on the UAB Hospital Rheumatology Consult Service (6-8 weeks/year). She also serves as the Director of the Cooper Green Mercy Hospital Rheumatology Clinic. This clinic provides comprehensive rheumatologic care for the uninsured or under-insured patients who live in the local area.
