Academic Appointments
- Professor of Medicine
- Professor of Pathology & Cell Biology
- Professor of Pediatrics

Dr. Winchester has had a sustained interest in human autoimmunity. His earlier studies defined the molecular importance of rheumatoid factors, other autoantibodies and immune complexes in human disease. Moreover, Dr. Winchester was involved in the early identification and tissue expression of human MHC class II molecules. As importantly, his studies of the polymorphisms of MHC molecules have provided the basis of establishing the link between MHC genotype and susceptibility to autoimmunity. For example in the late 1980's Dr. Winchester and colleagues showed that susceptibility to rheumatoid arthritis was determined by sequences in the b chain of MHC class II molecules.
This observation led to the shared MHC 'epitope' hypothesis which provides a molecular basis for susceptibility to rheumatoid arthritis associated with a region on the MHC molecule involved in both binding of the peptide and interacting with the TCR. This seminal discovery has emphasized the importance of the modern means of HLA typing which involves DNA sequencing of the MHC genes and the theoretical basis for the discovery of antigens that initiate autoimmune disease. In recent years Dr. Winchester has also focused on DNA and peptide sequence analysis of T cell receptor a and b chains in order to define the changes in the TCR repertoire associated with autoimmunity.
Email: rjw8@cumc.columbia.edu
Departments and Divisions
- Department of Medicine
Division of Rheumatology - Department of Pathology & Cell Biology
- Department of Pediatrics
Board Certifications
- Rheumatology
- Internal Medicine
Education and Training
- Cornell University Medical College, NY
- Internship: New York Hospital - Cornell Medical Center
- Residency: New York Hospital - Cornell Medical Center
Locations
CUIMC/Russ Berrie Medical Science Pavilion
1150 St. Nicholas Avenue
New York, NY 10032- For new and current patient appointments, call:
- (212) 305-0677
- Phone:
- (212) 305-0677
Provider Affiliations
- NewYork-Presbyterian / Columbia University Irving Medical Center
- NewYork-Presbyterian Allen Hospital
Insurance Programs
Please contact the provider's office directly to verify that your particular insurance is accepted.
- AETNA [Aetna Signature Administrators, EPO, HMO, Medicare Managed Care, NYP Employee Plan, NY Signature, POS, PPO, Student Health]
- AgeWell [Medicare Managed Care, Special Needs]
- CIGNA [EPO, Great West (National), HMO, POS, PPO]
- Emblem/GHI [Medicare Managed Care, PPO]
- Emblem/HIP [ConnectiCare, EPO, Essential Plan, HMO, Medicaid Managed Care, Medicare Managed Care, POS, PPO, Select Care (Exchange), Vytra]
- Empire Blue Cross/Blue Shield [EPO, HMO, Medicare Managed Care, PPO]
- Local 1199 [Local 1199]
- MagnaCare (National) [MagnaCare]
- Medicare [Railroad, Traditional Medicare]
- Multiplan [Multiplan]
- MVP Health Care [Child/Family Health Plus, Essential Plan, HMO, Medicaid Managed Care]
- Oxford Health Plans [Freedom, Liberty]
- RiverSpring [Special Needs]
- UnitedHealthcare [Columbia University Employee Plan, Compass (Exchange), Empire Plan, HMO, Medicaid (Community Plan), Medicare Managed Care, POS, PPO]
This provider does not accept new patients
Lab Locations
CUIMC/Russ Berrie Medical Science Pavilion
1150 St. Nicholas Avenue
New York, NY 10032
NIH Grants
INFLAMMATION AND CARDIOVASCULAR DISEASE IN RHEUMATOID ARTHRITIS (Federal Gov)
Jun 1 2017 - May 31 2023
ADIPOSE INFLAMMATION IN RHEUMATOID ARTHRITIS (Federal Gov)
Sep 15 2016 - Aug 31 2022
IDENTIFICATION OF IMMUNOLOGICAL MECHANISMS TARGETING THE MYOCARDIUM IN RHEUMATOID ARTHRITIS (Private)
Jul 1 2019 - Jun 30 2022
SIGNIFICANCE OF INTRARENAL T CELLS IN SLE NEPHRITIS (Federal Gov)
Jan 25 2016 - Dec 31 2020
EARLY IMMUNE EVENTS ASSOCIATED WITH VASCULAR INFLAMMATION IN RHEUMATOID ARTHRITIS (Private)
Aug 8 2018 - Aug 7 2020
SIGNIFICANCE OF INTRARENAL T CELLS IN SLE NEPHRITIS (Federal Gov)
Jan 25 2016 - Dec 31 2019
SIGNIFICANCE OF ELEVATIONS OF CERTAIN MEMORY-EFFECTOR T CELL AND INFLAMMATORY MONOCYTE SUBPOPULATIONS IN RHEUMATOID ARTHRITIS FOR THE PRESENCE OF SUBCLINICAL CORONARY ARTERY ATHEROSCLEROSIS (Private)
Nov 1 2014 - Dec 31 2018
PFIZER INDEPENDENT GRANTS FOR LEARNING AND CHANGE-FELLOWSHIP GRANT (Private)
Jul 1 2016 - Jun 30 2018
ERK SIGNALING IN INFLAMMATORY BONE LOSS (Federal Gov)
Jun 1 2008 - Jan 31 2018
ERK SIGNALING IN INFLAMMATORY BONE LOSS (Federal Gov)
Jun 1 2008 - Jan 31 2018
ERK SIGNALING IN INFLAMMATORY BONE LOSS (Federal Gov)
Jun 1 2008 - Jan 31 2018
ERK SIGNALING IN INFLAMMATORY BONE LOSS (Federal Gov)
Jun 1 2008 - Jan 31 2018
PREDICTORS OF PROGRESSION OF ATHEROSCLEROSIS IN RA (Private)
Jul 1 2015 - Jun 30 2017
ADIPOSE INFLAMMATION AND HLA OBESITY INTERACTIONS IN PSORIATIC ARTHRITIS (Private)
Jul 1 2015 - Jun 30 2017
HETEROGENEITY OF DISEASE MECHANISMS IN PSORIATIC ARTHRITIS (Private)
Apr 1 2015 - Mar 31 2017
AN RA IMMUNE SYSTEM DERIVED FROM PATIENT S STEM CELLS (Federal Gov)
Jul 1 2013 - Mar 31 2016
PATHWAYS AND BIOMARKERS OF MYOCARDIAL DYSFUNCTION IN RHEUMATOID ARTHRITIS (Private)
Jul 1 2013 - Jun 30 2015
ADIPOSETISSUE INFLAMMATION IN RHEUMATOID ARTHRITIS: ASSOCIATIONS WITH DISEASE CHARACTERISTICS, CARDIOMETABOLIC RISK FACTORS, AND ATHEROSCLEROSIS (Private)
Jul 1 2012 - Jun 30 2014
PROTOCOLITN034AI: A RANDOMIZED, DOUBLE-BLIND, CONTROLLED , PHASE II MULTICENTER TRIAL OF CYLA4IG (ABATACEPT) PLUS CYCLOPHOSPHAMIDE VS. CYCLOPHOSPHAMIDE ALONE IN THE TREATMENT OF LUPUS NEPHRITIS (Federal Gov)
Jan 1 2008 - Apr 30 2014
ANOVEL, EXPLORATORY APPROACH TO DELINEATING THE MECHANISM OF THE INCREASED RISK OF PREECLAMPSIA IN SLE: INTERACTION OF MATERNAL KIR AND FETAL HLA-C GENOTYPES (Private)
Dec 1 2010 - Nov 30 2013
PFIZER"S MEDICAL & ACADEMIC PARTNERSHIP (MAC) RHEUMATOLOGY V ISTING PROFESSORSHIP AWARD (Private)
Aug 10 2010 - Aug 9 2011
MAPPING AUTOIMMUNE PHENOTYPES IN MULTIPLEX FAMILIES (Federal Gov)
Jul 1 2010 - Jun 30 2011
HIV PROTECTIVE IMMUNITY AND PERINATAL EXPOSURE (Federal Gov)
Sep 26 2002 - Aug 31 2009
AUTOIMMUNE CENTERS OF EXCELLENCE (Federal Gov)
Apr 1 2008 - Mar 31 2009
CHILD HEALTH RESEARCH CENTER CAREET DEVELOPMENT AWARD (Federal Gov)
May 28 2003 - Nov 30 2008