Larry Moreland, MD, the Anna Lois Waters Professor of Medicine in the Division of Clinical Immunology and Rheumatology, has been named West Virginia University's 2005 distinguished alumnus. Dr. Moreland is internationally recognized for clinical research in rheumatoid arthritis, especially biological therapies. He served as coeditor of Arthritis and Allied Conditions: A Textbook of Rheumatology, now in its 15th edition, sometimes called the "Bible of rheumatology."

Dr. Moreland's primary research has focused on evaluation of targeted therapies with immune modulating agents as treatment for autoimmune diseases; examples include biological response modifiers such as anti-CD4 monoclonal antibodies, inhibitors of tumor necrosis factors and interleukin-I, and costimulating blockers, such as soluble CTLA4. He was the first to test a biological agent later approved by the Food and Drug Administration for patients with rheumatoid arthritis.

He is currently principal investigator of a large multicenter trial that will help define appropriate therapies for patients with early rheumatoid arthritis.