There are numerous monographs devoted to rheumatoid arthritis. What sets this issue apart is that it keeps an eye to the future. Topics explored include measurement of RA disease activity today and in the future, epidemiology of RA - implications for prevention and risk assessment, genes that predispose to RA - relevance to current and future therapeutic strategies, multiple kinases - assessment of the best targets in treating RA, assessment, prevention and treatment of cardiovascular morbidity in RA, mechanistic insights and approaches to prevention of bone damage in RA, cell-cell interactions in RA synovium as potential new targets for treatment, alternative strategies for modulating the function of B lymphocytes in RA, innate immunity in RA, ascertainment and management of preclinical RA.