Arthritis & Autoimmune Diseases Center

The AADC was established in 1983 to advance basic and translational research in rheumatology and to translate laboratory findings into new therapeutic strategies for rheumatic diseases.

Research 

A broad research focus in the AADC is related to mechanisms of fibrosis and vasculopathy, as well as mechanisms of dysregulation of innate and adaptive immunity in inflammation and autoimmunity. Our translational research seeks to turn new scientific observations into new treatments, enlisting support for studies of emerging therapeutics. The therapeutic potential of targeting novel pathways discovered through our basic research is being evaluated in preclinical models of scleroderma, type 1 diabetes, and idiopathic pulmonary fibrosis.

A large focus of research in the AADC is in unraveling the complex nature of scleroderma and fibrosis. Research teams led by Maria Trojanowska with combined expertise in vascular, immune, and connective tissue biology employ state-of-the-art techniques and unique mouse models to begin answering these questions. Specifically, researchers in the AADC investigate how the interaction between vascular injury, and immune-mediated inflammation lead to skin and internal organ fibrosis. Our research centers on the molecular and biochemical pathways that regulate extracellular matrix synthesis in healthy tissues and become dysregulated in scleroderma. We also study endothelial cell dysfunction and its role in microvascular disease and pulmonary hypertension in scleroderma.

Other members of the team also focus on mechanisms of fibrosis in other tissues, such as pulmonary fibrosis, and T cells in the pathogenesis of autoimmune diseases, regulation of autoreactive and memory T cells, and mechanisms of relevance to type 1 diabetes.

Maria Trojanowska, PhD
Professor
Director, AADC
T: 617-358-7697
E: trojanme@bu.edu

AADC faculty include:

Jeffrey Browning, PhD
Professor, Department of Microbiology
Adjunct Professor, Rheumatology
T: 617-358-3979
E: browninj@bu.edu 
Andreea M Bujor, MD, PhD
Assistant Professor
T: 617-358-3839
E: andreea@bu.edu

 Adri Chakraborty, PhD
Research Assistant Professor
T: 358-3839
E: ckadri@bu.edu
Giovanni Ligresti, PhD
Associate Professor
T: 617-358-6786
E: ligresti@bu.edu

Jeongmin Hong, PhD
Post Doctoral Associate
E:jmhong@bu.edu

Ahmed Raslan, PhD
Postdoctoral Associate
E: araslan@bu.edu