Groundbreaking Step in Battling Angioedema at UC San Diego

Hereditary Angioedema (HAE) Community Endowed Chair in Angioedema Clinical Excellence established at UC San Diego, with Mark Reidl, MD, MS, named as inaugural chair holder

Media contact:

Jade Griffin - cjgriffin@ucsd.edu

March 18, 2025

Media contact:

Jade Griffin - cjgriffin@ucsd.edu

This recently established chair – funded through the collaborative efforts of the US Hereditary Angioedema Association, Inc., BioCryst Pharmaceuticals, and Pharming Group NV – aims to improve outcomes for HAE patients and advance clinical research for new treatment options to benefit patients around the globe.

Hereditary angioedema is a rare genetic disorder characterized by recurring episodes of severe swelling in various parts of the body, including the extremities, face, gastrointestinal tract and airway. These episodes can be painful, disabling and life-threatening.

“We are so grateful to our generous, visionary supporters, which have made it possible to establish this endowed chair dedicated to supporting the research and teaching of a UC San Diego physician specializing in hereditary angioedema,” said Bruce Zuraw, MD, professor of medicine and director of the US HAEA Angioedema Center at UC San Diego. “Our ultimate goal is to help angioedema patients, enhancing the quality of their lives with more accurate diagnoses, better treatments and the freedom to live their lives without angioedema-imposed restrictions.”

In 2014, the US Hereditary Angioedema Association and UC San Diego partnered to create the first ever comprehensive angioedema center in the United States. The US HAEA Angioedema Center at UC San Diego takes a "bench-to-bedside" approach to angioedema research and patient care. From research in genetics to the most advanced treatments, the center is at the forefront of personalized angioedema medical care.

Marc A. Riedl, MD, MS, who serves as clinical director of the US HAE Angioedema Center has been named the inaugural chair holder of the Hereditary Angioedema Community Endowed Chair in Angioedema Clinical Excellence. A professor in the UC San Diego School of Medicine, Riedl is a board-certified allergist/immunologist specializing in angioedema and immune deficiencies. He is also clinical service chief for Allergy and Immunology in the Department of Medicine and mentors future physicians.

Riedl is an international thought leader on angioedema, with publications in leading journals like The New England Journal of Medicine, The Lancet and JAMA. He conducts clinical trials on novel hereditary angioedema treatments, frequently lectures at global conferences and serves on editorial boards and as an NIH and FDA consultant. Riedl completed his medical degree at the University of Chicago, with advanced training at UCLA and Washington University in St. Louis.

“Dr. Riedl’s appointment to this prestigious endowed chair puts a talented, experienced and accomplished physician in a position to lead continuous improvement in patient care and help shape clinical development of new HAE medicines,” said Anthony J. Castaldo, CEO and chairman of the board of the US Hereditary Angioedema Association.

With support from the endowed chair, Riedl will be able to direct the funding to research, education and training related to care for angioedema patients.

“I am so grateful to our visionary supporters – the US Hereditary Angioedema Association, Pharming Group NV and BioCryst Pharmaceuticals – that helped establish this endowed chair to fuel research and better treatments for angioedema, as well as to train future immunologists and allergists who will treat generations of patients to come,” said Riedl. “Our goal is to find better treatments – and ultimately a cure – for this debilitating and life-threatening condition.”