The OARSI Strategic Alliance Committee is pleased to announce the appointment of its first OARSI National Ambassador, Nataliia Grygorieva in Ukraine. This is a particular honor for the Society to welcome Prof. Grygorieva as first National Ambassador for the OA community in Ukraine at this time when the country is facing many challenges and hardships. We look forward to working with Nataliia and her colleagues to enhance professional interactions with OARSI, increase membership in OARSI, strengthen the OA research community, and enhance educational exchanges between OARSI and OA-focused clinicians and scientists in Ukraine. Prof. Grygorieva is a Rheumatologist and Head of the Department of Clinical Physiology and Pathology of the musculoskeletal system at the Dmitry F. Chebotarev Institute of Gerontology of the National Academy of Medical Sciences of Kiev, Ukraine. Nataliia’s longstanding research commitment focuses on the aging of the musculoskeletal system, such as OA, osteoporosis, and vitamin D deficiency. Nataliia is a leader in the Ukraine’s musculoskeletal community and, through several ongoing societies and networks, has identified many opportunities for OARSI partnerships. One such opportunity to broaden the exposure of OARSI in Ukraine will be through shared educational thematic lectures by OARSI members and their >2000-person online forum, OsteoHub, and an upcoming OA conference to be held in October 2023. The OARSI leadership and Strategic Alliance Committee are very pleased that Prof. Grygorieva is willing to take on this role and we look forward to working together.
Gun-il Im, MD, PhD
OARSI President
George R. Dodge, PhD
OARSI Chair, Strategic Alliance Committee