This division is responsible for the evaluation and management of patients with diseases of the musculoskeletal system at the University of Florida Shands Hospital and the Gainesville VAMC. There is an inpatient consultation service and active outpatient clinics, which serve as a regional and international referral center for the management of rheumatic diseases.
There is a strong research interest in the systemic autoimmune diseases, including systemic lupus erythematosus, rheumatoid arthritis, Sjogren’s syndrome, scleroderma, polymyositis and vasculitis. Faculty research activities are reflected in the division’s clinical activities, which are increasingly orientated toward specialized outpatient units for managing complex disorders of the immune system. The centerpiece of these efforts is the newly established Autoimmune Disease Center, which is mandated to promote understanding of the causes of systemic autoimmunity, and the identification of more effective approaches to the prevention, early diagnosis and treatment of these diseases.
Our overall strategy includes:
- Developing disease-specific, multidisciplinary clinical units to provide accurate diagnostic information and high quality, efficient patient care
- Promoting basic and translational clinical research aimed at defining the causes of systemic autoimmunity
- Using advanced diagnostic approaches and biological markers for monitoring disease and identifying complications
- Studying new approaches to the therapy of autoimmune diseases
- Providing educational programs for patients, residents, fellows and attending physicians
This is an exciting time in clinical immunology and rheumatology. Recent major advances in basic immunology and immunogenetics are rapidly being translated into better therapies for immune diseases. The Division of Rheumatology and Clinical Immunology is committed to remaining at the leading edge of these new technologies.