On May 2, 2023, NIAMS Scientific Director of Intramural Research, Dr. John O’Shea, was elected to the U.S. National Academy of Sciences at the conclusion of the Academy’s 160 th annual meeting. This designation – considered one of the highest honors that a scientist can achieve – recognizes distinguished and continuing achievements in original research. In addition to this latest accolade, Dr. O’Shea has received numerous prizes, including the Howley Prize for Research in Arthritis, the Ross Prize in Molecular Medicine, the Millstein Prize from the International Cytokine and Interferon Society, the AAI-Steinman Award for Human Immunology, the ASCI-Harrington Prize

Concept clearance is the planning process that begins approximately two years prior to any potential funding. NIAMS receives input from the National Arthritis and Musculoskeletal and Skin Diseases Advisory Council (NAMSAC) regarding the merits of proposed research concepts. The concepts listed here have been presented and discussed at previous NAMSAC meetings.

Mariana Kaplan, M.D., a longstanding NIAMS researcher and leader, has been promoted to the title of NIH Distinguished Investigator.

I think we can all agree that 2020 was a challenging year. The COVID-19 pandemic has affected all of us in unprecedented ways and has taken far too many lives. Despite that, I want to share some of my optimism for 2021.

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.

The National Institute of Arthritis and Musculoskeletal and Skin Diseases (NIAMS) appointed Robert A. Colbert, M.D., Ph.D., as the director of the Institute's Clinical Research Program on February 16, 2020. Colbert, who joined the NIAMS in 2008, had served as deputy clinical director since 2012 and as acting clinical director since June 2018. "What excites me about the NIAMS Clinical Research Program director position is the opportunity we have to make an impact," Colbert explained. "We have a number of research programs that are making new discoveries that reveal how diseases develop and evolve and are translating these discoveries into

There’s no doubt that the global COVID-19 pandemic has upended our daily lives in unprecedented ways. This crisis has imposed unique challenges for people from all walks of life. I want to take a moment to acknowledge the strength, adaptability and resolve of the entire NIAMS community as we navigate this unpredictable situation.

A research team led by Dr. Makarand Risbud of Thomas Jefferson University tested whether treatment with the drugs dasatinib and quercetin would prevent disc degeneration in mice. Both drugs are senolytics, which selectively remove aged cells known as senescent cells.

Skin is the body’s largest organ and plays a vital role in health. It helps regulate body temperature, retain body fluid, and defend against the outside world. It also allows the sensation of touch and pain. Skin is a complex structure made up of multiple layers. It contains fat, nerves, glands, and hair follicles. Scientists have been able to grow human skin outside the body for over 40 years. However, skin grown in cultures lacked embedded structures, like hair follicles and sweat glands, found in real skin. A team of researchers led by Dr. Karl Koehler of Boston Children’s Hospital