The Johns Hopkins Scleroderma Center is dedicated to providing comprehensive care for patients with scleroderma, an autoimmune disease characterized by inflammation and fibrosis of the skin and other organs. We dedicate the time that is needed to fully assess each patient’s unique situation to develop personalized diagnostic and management plans. Educating patients and their families about scleroderma is a critical component of our new patient evaluations. We also couple patient care tightly with scientific research as our ultimate goal is to find a cure for scleroderma.
Experts in an Uncommon Disease
The Center brings together specialists from various fields to address the complex needs of scleroderma patients. This team includes rheumatologists, pulmonologists, cardiologists, hand surgeons, and other healthcare professionals who collaborate to care for every aspect of our patients’ diseases. As a result, the Center has attracted thousands of patients from all over the world. The success of The Johns Hopkins Scleroderma Center reflects the strength and cohesiveness of this extraordinary group.
Using Research to understand Scleroderma
The Center’s philosophy focuses on delivering excellent clinical care while advancing the understanding of scleroderma through research. We partner with our patients in the mission of discovery and we are committed to improving patient outcomes by combining state-of-the-art treatments with ongoing clinical and translational research efforts. This approach not only addresses current patient needs but also contributes to the development of future therapies.
We have built one of the largest single-center scleroderma research registries in the world. This Registry serves as the foundation and discovery engine of the Center. The Registry contains comprehensive clinical data, blood and tissue samples from patients who choose to participate. These materials are available to researchers studying the biological causes of scleroderma, patterns of the disease, potential new treatments, and more.
We have over 50 scleroderma research studies (basic science, clinical trials, and epidemiology) underway at Johns Hopkins. To study scleroderma, Raynaud’s phenomenon, and other fibrosing diseases, the Center’s researchers collaborate with investigators at Johns Hopkins, other academic institutions worldwide, the National Institutes of Health (NIH), and industry partners involved in developing new medications and treatments.
