Dr. Blanco is a Professor in the Department of Medicine-Rheumatology at Northwestern University and the Associate Dean of Diversity Enhancement at the Albert Einstein College of Medicine-Montefiore Medical Center. A rheumatologist by training, she has a particular interest in the connective tissue diseases, most notably systemic lupus erythematosus and how it affects underserved populations. Her research interests focus on addressing health disparities and the social determinants of health in rheumatology.
Dr. Blanco is currently working with the American College of Rheumatology to create a graduate medical education curriculum for health disparities. She is also investigating how to leverage community health workers to help increase the recruitment of patients of color into lupus clinical trials.
Dr. Blanco believes that by bringing people from traditionally marginalized groups into medicine and the biomedical sciences, we can truly address the needs of our most vulnerable patients.
