My name is Dr. Alexandra Balbir-Gurman. I am the ISN Russian Translator and ISN Russian Medical Editor. I am Senior Rheumatologist at Rambam Medical Center in Haifa, Israel.

I graduated from Chernovits School of Medicine in former USSR (Ukrain). I specialized in Internal Medicine and Rheumatology in Israel. In my work I am treating various rheumatological conditions, but my special interest is scleroderma. In our department of rheumatology together with pulmonary disease unit we are running a special clinic for lung manifestations of systemic diseases (including collagen vascular diseases).

In year 2000 I had the privilege to stay in Royal Free Hospital in London for six months training in research and clinical work under the supervision of Prof. Carol Black.

During the years that I have been involved in taking care of scleroderma patients, I became aware of the physical difficulties and psychological burden these patients have to cope with. Therefore, I am happy to participate in the international effort to provide information and support to scleroderma patients, including Russian patients.