Sections
Rheumatology
Centers
Evans Center for Interdisciplinary Biomedical Research
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.
Websites
Program in Inflammatory Disorders Faculty
Scleroderma Center of Research Translation
Education
MD, University of Cincinnati
BS, Massachusetts Institute of Technology
Publications
Padilla CM, Lafyatis R, Gibson KF, Morse C, Valenzi E, Chen X, Li X, Zhao Y, Park Y, Ascherman D, Minden J, Domsic R, Zhang Y, Kass DJ. LOXHD1 and RHOB Expression by Monocytes Predicts Progressive Systemic Sclerosis associated Interstitial Lung Disease. Arthritis Care Res (Hoboken). 2025 Aug 07. PMID: 40771159.
Published on 8/1/2025Padilla C, Katikineni V, Park Y, Freno L, Laffoon M, Reichbaum L, Lafyatis R, Domsic R. Effects of Audio-Guided Imagery on Raynaud Phenomenon in Connective Tissue Disease. ACR Open Rheumatol. 2025 Aug; 7(8):e70074. PMID: 40878837.
Published on 7/25/2025Dinc MT, El-Adili F, Lui JK, Kripesh S, York M, Trojanowski M, Ligresti G, Lafyatis R, Trojanowska M, Bujor AM. Transcriptomic profiling of scleroderma monocytes reveals links with cardiovascular complications, implicating Notch and interferon pathways. J Scleroderma Relat Disord. 2025 Jul 25; 23971983251356123. PMID: 40735732.
Published on 6/5/2025Lafyatis R, Valenzi E. Yapping about macrophages in fibrotic lung disease. Eur Respir J. 2025 Jun; 65(6). PMID: 40473297.
Published on 6/1/2025Hukara 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.
Published on 4/8/2025Rosen 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.
Published on 4/1/2025Abraham 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.
Published on 2/14/2025Abraham 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.
Published on 2/1/2025Gaydosik 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.
Published on 2/1/2025Hammaker K, Hu H, Laffoon M, Freno LA, Lafyatis R, Park Y, Domsic RT. Association of the Apollo Wearable With Fatigue, Raynaud Phenomenon, and Quality of Life in Patients With Systemic Sclerosis: A Pilot Study. J Rheumatol. 2025 Feb 01; 52(2):158-164. PMID: 39617410.