Ankylosing Spondylitis
What is ankylosing spondylitis? It is arthritis that affects the spine, usually producing redness, heat, swelling, and pain in the spine where it joins the pelvis.Arthritis
Arthritis is joint inflammation that can cause stiffness or pain. Learn more about the symptoms & treatments.Autoimmune Diseases
In autoimmune diseases, proteins known as autoantibodies target the body’s own healthy tissues by mistake, signaling the body to attack them.Autoinflammatory Diseases
What are autoinflammatory diseases? They cause your immune cells to attack your body by mistake, and can cause fever, rash, joint swelling, and more.Gout
What is gout? It is a kind of arthritis that causes painful and stiff joints. Gout is caused by the build-up of crystals of uric acid in your joints.Hip Replacement Surgery
Hip replacement surgery removes damaged or diseased parts of a hip joint and replaces them with new, artificial parts.Juvenile Idiopathic Arthritis (JIA)
Juvenile arthritis describes arthritis in children. Arthritis is caused by inflammation of the joints. Find out all you need to know about juvenile arthritis.Osteoarthritis
What is osteoarthritis? It damages the slippery tissue that covers the ends of bones, causing bones to rub together, producing pain, swelling, and loss of motion.Polymyalgia Rheumatica and Giant Cell Arteritis
Polymyalgia rheumatica and giant cell arteritis are closely linked inflammatory conditions. PMR causes muscle pain and stiffness in the shoulders, upper arms, hip area, and neck. GCA causes headaches, scalp tenderness, jaw pain, and eye problems.Psoriatic Arthritis
What is psoriatic arthritis? It can occur in people who have psoriasis (scaly red and white patches). It affects the joints and areas where tissues attach to bone.Reactive Arthritis
What is reactive arthritis? It is caused by an infection and results in joint pain and swelling. You may also have red, swollen eyes and a swollen urinary tract.Rheumatoid Arthritis
What is rheumatoid arthritis? It is a disease that affects multiple joints, resulting in pain, swelling, and stiffness. Tiredness and fever may also be present.Scleroderma
Scleroderma causes patches of tight, hard skin, but can also harm your blood vessels and organs. Learn the causes and treatments of this skin disease.Sjögren’s Syndrome
What is Sjögren’s syndrome? It is a disease that affects the glands that make moisture. It most often causes dryness in the mouth and eyes.Systemic Lupus Erythematosus (Lupus)
Lupus is a disease where the body's defense system attacks healthy cells and tissues, causing damage to many parts of the body. Learn more about this disease.Selected Research Areas
Lupus Genomics and Global Health Disparities Unit
Dr. Lewandowski leads a team of scientists studying systemic lupus erythematosus patients in populations around the globe. Her research focuses on genetic drivers of severe disease and inflammation in diverse cohorts worldwide.
Scleroderma Genomics and Health Disparities Unit
The Scleroderma Genomics and Health Disparities Unit is focused on unraveling genetic risk by using genomic technologies and dissecting the mechanisms of transcriptional regulation in order to comprehend autoimmune, fibrotic, and health disparity conditions.
Translational Genetics and Genomics Section
Led by Dr. Michael Ombrello, the section uses genomic approaches to understand the underlying factors of autoinflammatory and rheumatic diseases.Scientific Publications
Arthritis and Rheumatic Disease News
Roundtable | November 1, 2022
Health Disparities in Osteoarthritis Workshop – July 12-13, 2022
The Health Disparities in Osteoarthritis (OA) workshop brought together OA investigators with others who have expertise in health disparities to exchange ideas regarding how/why disparities in OA treatment and care exist and how they can be addressed. Panelists and speakers highlighted mechanisms through which behavioral and biomedical science integration can lead to better health in OA.
Letter from the Director | June 7, 2022
NIAMS, NIH Seek to Better Understand Arthritis in Native American Communities
The recent observance in May of National Arthritis Awareness Month offered us a chance to reflect on a sizable component of the NIAMS mission area. Arthritis impacts the lives of nearly 60 million Americans. However, a recent conversation with David Wilson, Ph.D., director of NIH’s Tribal Health Research Office, reminded me that arthritis hits some communities harder than others.
Patient and Congressional Visits | June 6, 2022
Roundtable Discussion on Lupus with Congresswoman Lee
Video of a Facebook Live discussion on lupus research, treatment, and care, moderated by Rev. Cheryl Ward and featuring experts in the field.
Spotlight on Research | May 25, 2022
Discussing Bone, Muscle, Skin, & Autoimmune Diseases: Info for American Indians, Alaska Natives - audio
A conversation between Dr. David R. Wilson, director of the NIH Tribal Health Research Office, and Dr. Lindsey A. Criswell, director of NIAMS, about information and resources for American Indians and Alaska Natives related to bone, muscle, skin, and autoimmune diseases.
Spotlight on Research | November 23, 2021
New treatment shows promise in reducing the risk of cardiovascular disease in people with lupus
Researchers have identified a potential treatment to reduce the risk of cardiovascular disease in people with systemic lupus erythematosus (SLE), a chronic autoimmune disease.
Announcement | August 19, 2020
NIH Offers Web-Based Tool to Study Gene Expression in Human Neutrophils
NIH scientists developed and recently released a free, online data query tool called NeutGX. Researchers around the world can use NeutGX to explore the genetic basis of neutrophil-mediated inflammation in autoimmune diseases, cancer, infectious diseases and other conditions.