Edward Behrens, MD

Ed Behrens, MD earned his biology degree from Johns Hopkins University and his medical degree from the Perelman School of Medicine (PSOM), University of Pennsylvania. He received the prestigious Howard Hughes Medical Institute’s Medical Research Fellowship to work with Dr. Philip Cohen. After completing both his Pediatrics Residency and Pediatric Rheumatology Fellowship at Children's Hospital of Philadelphia (CHOP), he conducted two post-doctoral fellowships under Drs. Gallucci and Koretzky. Dr. Behrens joined CHOP's Rheumatology Division in 2009 and became Division Chief in 2014. He currently holds the Joseph Lee Hollander Chair in Pediatric Rheumatology from the PSOM. His research focuses on cytokine storm syndromes, particularly Hemophagocytic Lymphohistiocytosis (HLH) and Macrophage Activation Syndrome (MAS)—life-threatening inflammatory conditions. Dr. Behrens developed a novel murine model of MAS that has advanced understanding of these diseases and is exploring both immune and non-immune mechanisms involved. As a founding member of the International MAS Study Group, his work has earned recognition from major rheumatology and arthritis organizations.