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.

On April 24 and 25, 2023, NIAMS Extramural program staff, Institute leadership, and other members attended the first scientific planning retreat under Dr. Criswell’s leadership. How to support science - How to use NIAMS funds for greatest impact? Learn from successes. How to better support investigators? What are NIAMS values and its reputation?

Scientists at NIAMS and other institutions have shed light on patterns of skin characteristics seen in patients with VEXAS ( vacuoles, E1 enzyme, X-linked, autoinflammatory, somatic) syndrome, an often-deadly inflammatory condition caused by mutations in the UBA1 gene of blood cells. In addition, distinct skin symptoms were linked to specific gene variants in people with the disease. The findings were recently published in JAMA Dermatology. VEXAS syndrome was first reported by a team of NIH researchers in 2020. People with the disorder often have a wide range of inflammatory symptoms that affect multiple organs. The mutations in VEXAS syndrome happen

Back pain is one of the most common forms of chronic pain affecting adults. People with chronic back pain often take opioids for pain management, but opioids are highly addictive. To address this public health challenge, in 2019 NIH launched the Back Pain Consortium (BACPAC) Research Program, part of the NIH Helping to End Addiction Long-term® (HEAL) Initiative that launched in 2018, a patient-centered effort to address the need for non-addictive, effective and personalized therapies for chronic back pain. Scientists are conducting clinical trials with the hopes of finding new non-opioid treatments. Yet for clinical trials to be effective, the

As I settle into my new role as director of NIAMS, I have the honor of leading the Institute on its 35th anniversary.

Researchers have identified a potential treatment to reduce the risk of cardiovascular disease in people with systemic lupus erythematosus (SLE), a chronic autoimmune disease.