So much has happened at the Scleroderma Research Foundation in the first few months of 2026 and I wanted to share it with you directly. As always, your support is pivotal in making all of this possible. Here are a few things we’ve been able to accomplish so far thanks to your investment in our mission:
• SRF-funded investigator Ryan Flynn, PhD published an influential study in Nature, which shed light on how the body controls the growth of new blood vessels. These findings may help explain vascular complications seen in diseases like scleroderma. Seeing SRF-supported science published in the broader scientific community is one of the most direct measures of impact we have.
• In January, the SRF cohosted an intimate gathering featuring Nobel Laureate Fred Ramsdell, PhD in a fireside chat exploring how decades of basic immunology research are now shaping the future of medicine during JP Morgan Healthcare Week. The conference convenes the top minds in medicine, and elevated scleroderma’s visibility within the broader biotech sector.
• CONQUER – the longitudinal registry and biosample repository created by the SRF – has registered over 1,360 patients contributing data across 20 sites. This data is now drawing significant interest from the scientific community and being used to advance scientific and clinical discoveries.
• The SRF’s global platform clinical trial (CONQUEST) is now open at more than 150 sites worldwide, and as of Spring 2026, over 200 patients have been enrolled.
•Plans are underway for our annual Scleroderma Patient Forum on June 11 – our free, online event which last year drew more than 700 registrants from the scleroderma community around the world. The event includes live Q&A for each topical session, directly connecting patients with expert scleroderma researchers and clinicians.
This is just the beginning of what we anticipate will be an impactful year for scleroderma research, and none of this can happen without you. Your support fuels every study, every conversation, and every step forward in the journey to ending scleroderma. We look forward to sharing more progress as the year progresses and we are profoundly grateful for the trust you place in our work.
Warmly,
Joanne Gold
Executive Director
Scleroderma Research Foundation
