Research is at the center of all we do.
We think that research is the best hope of finding a cure. We are America’s largest nonprofit investor in scleroderma research and devote a greater percentage of our annual budget to scleroderma research than any other nonprofit organization in the U.S.
Finding and Funding Innovative Research
Led by a Scientific Advisory Board with some of the most highly-regarded scientists in the nation, the Scleroderma Research Foundation’s research program actively seeks out and recruits experts from the fields of rheumatology, immunology, genetics, and fibrosis, as well as experts in cutting-edge technologies, to join the scleroderma research community. We actively seek to fund the most promising research projects to move scleroderma research forward.
Research Is the Best Hope for a Cure
SRF-funded investigator Dr. Michael Whitfield, of the Geisel School of Medicine at Dartmouth, shares why scleroderma research is entering a promising new era.
Focusing on Collaborative Research
The Scleroderma Research Foundation brings together researchers and unites them in a research community. We host our Science Workshop, the CONQUER meeting, and the biannual International Workshop of Scleroderma Research. Collectively, these programs promote the sharing of ideas and new discoveries that further progress toward a cure.
Leading Large-Scale Research Projects
The Scleroderma Research Foundation has led the formation of two projects aimed at accelerating scleroderma research. The first is the CONQUER Registry, the first nationwide registry for scleroderma patients in the U.S. The second is the GRASP Project, a collaboration aimed at discovering genetic variations found in African-Americans with scleroderma. Both projects will provide essential data to help identify potential treatments—and hopefully lead to a cure.
Sustaining Centers of Excellence
Another core feature of our research program is the Scleroderma Research Foundation’s leadership in providing funding to establish and support Scleroderma Centers. At these Centers, clinical research can be accelerated, the standard of care can be advanced, and new scleroderma doctors and specialists can be trained.
Nurturing the Next Generation of Investigators
Knowing that future discovery will come from the next generation of scientists, the Scleroderma Research Foundation provides grants to young researchers. Postdoctoral fellowship grants allow researchers to enter the field of scleroderma research and work alongside established researchers. Several recipients of our Early Career Grants are now dedicating themselves to scleroderma research.
