Robert A. Lafyatis, MD

Adjunct Professor, Boston University Chobanian & Avedisian School of Medicine

Biography

Dr. Lafyatis carries out patient oriented research into the cause and treatment of systemic sclerosis. This includes early phase clinical trials into new therapeutic agents in patients with systemic sclerosis. He has been investigating the mechanisms of actions and markers of response for novel therapeutics, such as the B cell depleting agent, rituximab and the immunosuppressant agent, mycophenlate. Additional studies are aimed at identifying biomarkers in systemic sclerosis using microarray gene expression analysis of skin and blood in scleroderma patients. Ongoing biomarker studies include investigation into molecular markers of pulmonary hypertension in systemic sclerosis. Dr. Lafyatis also carries out basic research into the cause of fibrosis and vasculopathy in systemic sclerosis using patient samples and murine disease models. His studies have provided key insights into one widely used model of systemic sclerosis, the tight skin mouse. His studies are currently focused on understanding how autoimmunity and the innate immune system lead to fibrosis and vascular damage. This has recently led to the discovery of increased interferon-regulated gene expression in white blood cells of patients with systemic sclerosis. Ongoing research is aimed at better understanding the cause of altered gene expression by monocytes and other cells in the innate immune system.

Publications

  • Published 6/1/2025

    Hukara A, Bonazza GA, Tabib T, Micheroli R, Jordan S, Bürki K, Rudnik M, Ciurea A, Distler O, Lafyatis R, Blyszczuk P, Kania G. Elevated Fcy receptor expression augments pro-inflammatory macrophage phagocytosis in systemic sclerosis and associated rheumatic diseases. Rheumatology (Oxford). 2025 Jun 01; 64(6):3975-3988. PMID: 39672802.

    Read at: PubMed

  • Published 4/8/2025

    Rosen AB, Sanyal A, Hutchins T, Werner G, Berkowitz JS, Tabib T, Lafyatis R, Jacobe H, Das J, Torok KS. Unique and shared transcriptomic signatures underlying localized scleroderma pathogenesis identified using interpretable machine learning. JCI Insight. 2025 Apr 08; 10(7). PMID: 40197368.

    Read at: PubMed

  • Published 4/1/2025

    Abraham DJ, Black CM, Denton CP, Distler JHW, Domsic R, Feghali-Bostwick C, Gourh P, Hinchcliff M, Kolling F, Kuwana M, Lafyatis R, Landegren U, Mahoney JM, Martin J, Matucci-Cerinic M, McMahan ZH, Mora AL, Mouthon L, Rabinovitch M, Rojas M, Rubin K, Trojanowska M, Varga J, Whitfield ML, Gabrielli A, Krieg T. Publisher Correction: An international perspective on the future of systemic sclerosis research. Nat Rev Rheumatol. 2025 Apr; 21(4):249. PMID: 40032952.

    Read at: PubMed

  • Published 2/14/2025

    Abraham DJ, Black CM, Denton CP, Distler JHW, Domsic R, Feghali-Bostwick C, Gourh P, Hinchcliff M, Kolling F, Kuwana M, Lafyatis R, Landegren U, Mahoney JM, Martin J, Matucci-Cerinic M, McMahan ZH, Mora AL, Mouthon L, Rabinovitch M, Rojas M, Rubin K, Trojanowska M, Varga J, Whitfield ML, Gabrielli A, Krieg T. An international perspective on the future of systemic sclerosis research. Nat Rev Rheumatol. 2025 Mar; 21(3):174-187. PMID: 39953141.

    Read at: PubMed

  • Published 2/1/2025

    Gaydosik AM, Tabib T, Das J, Larregina A, Lafyatis R, Fuschiotti P. Dysfunctional KLRB1+CD8+ T-cell responses are generated in chronically inflamed systemic sclerosis skin. Ann Rheum Dis. 2025 May; 84(5):798-809. PMID: 39894688.

    Read at: PubMed

View All 268 Publications:   View Full Profile in BUMC

Other Positions

  • Member, Evans Center for Interdisciplinary Biomedical Research
    Boston University

Websites

Education

  • University of Cincinnati, MD
  • Massachusetts Institute of Technology, BS

View all profiles