Robert A. Lafyatis, MD
Adjunct Professor
Boston University Chobanian & Avedisian School of Medicine
Medicine
Rheumatology

MD, University of Cincinnati
BS, Massachusetts Institute of Technology



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.

Member
Boston University
Evans Center for Interdisciplinary Biomedical Research




A Phase 2, Double-blind, Randomized, Placebo-controlled Multicenter Study to Evaluate Safety, Tolerability, Efficacy, and Pharmacokinetics of JBT-101 in Diffuse Cutaneous Systemic Sclerosis
12/01/2015 - 11/30/2021 (Co-Investigator)
PI: Robert W. Simms, MD
Corbus Pharmaceuticals Holdings, Inc.


A Phase 1 Study Evaluating the Safety, Tolerability, and Pharmacokinetics of Single Doses of BIIB059 in Healthy volunteers and Subjects with Systemic Lupus Erythematosus
04/09/2015 - 04/08/2020 (Co-Investigator)
PI: Christina Lam, MD
Biogen Idec


Scleroderma Clinical Repository (SCaR)
10/01/2014 - 09/30/2019 (PI)
Regeneron Pharmaceuticals, Inc.


ASSET: A Phase II study to evaluate subcutaneous abatacept vs. placebo in diffuse cutaneous systemic sclerosis - a double-blind, placebo-controlled, randomized controlled trial [IMI101-344]
03/31/2015 - 06/30/2019 (Subcontract PI)
Regents of the University of Michigan Bristol-Myers Squibb


Randomized, double-blind, placebo-controlled trial of IL1-Trap, Rilonacept, in Systemic Sclerosis-A Phase I/II Biomarker Trial
12/01/2011 - 02/05/2019 (PI)
Regeneron Pharmaceuticals, Inc.


Scleroderma Workshop
02/01/2010 - 01/31/2018 (PI)
MedImmune, Inc.


Nox4 Inhibitor in Systemic Sclerosis
11/14/2014 - 11/13/2017 (PI)
Mistral Therapeutics, Inc.


NIAMS: CORT
09/01/2011 - 08/31/2017 (PI of Sub-Project / SP)
PI: Robert W. Simms, MD
NIH/National Institute of Arthritis & Musculoskeletal & Skin Diseases
5P50AR060780-05

Rheumatic Diseases Research Core Centers
09/01/2011 - 08/31/2017 (PI of Sub-Project / SP)
PI: Robert W. Simms, MD
NIH/National Institute of Arthritis & Musculoskeletal & Skin Diseases
5P30AR061271-05

A Randomized, Double-Blind, Placebo-Controlled Trial of Topical C-82 in Systemic Sclerosis-A Phase I/II Biomarker and Safety Trial
04/02/2015 - 04/01/2017 (PI)
PRISM Pharma Co Ltd


Showing 10 of 42 results. Show All Results


Title


Yr Title Project-Sub Proj Pubs
2024 Molecular Basis for Altered Natural Killer Cells in Systemic Sclerosis associated-Interstitial Lung Disease 3P50AR080612-03S1
2024 Pathways regulating profibrotic macrophages in a novel explant model of systemic sclerosis-associated interstitial lung disease 1R21AR084251-01
2024 Cell epigenetics & communication in systemic sclerosis and localized scleroderma skin disease 5P50AR080612-03-9847
2024 Clinical-Translational Studies in Skin, Lung, and Vascular Complications in Systemic Sclerosis 5P50AR080612-03
2024 Administrative Core 5P50AR080612-03-9032
2023 Clinical-Translational Studies in Skin, Lung, and Vascular Complications in Systemic Sclerosis 5P50AR080612-02
2023 Administrative Core 5P50AR080612-02-9032
2023 Cell epigenetics & communication in systemic sclerosis and localized scleroderma skin disease 5P50AR080612-02-9847
2022 Administrative Core 1P50AR080612-01-9844
2022 Cell epigenetics & communication in systemic sclerosis and localized scleroderma skin disease 1P50AR080612-01-9847
Showing 10 of 82 results. Show All Results

Publications listed below are automatically derived from MEDLINE/PubMed and other sources, which might result in incorrect or missing publications. Faculty can login to make corrections and additions.

iCite Analysis       Copy PMIDs To Clipboard

  1. Shehabeldin M, Kobyra J, Cho Y, Gao J, Chong R, Tabib T, Lafyatis R, Little SR, Sfeir C. Local Controlled Delivery of IL-4 Decreases Inflammatory Bone Loss in a Murine Model of Periodontal Disease. J Immunol. 2024 Dec 01; 213(11):1635-1643. PMID: 39465979
     
  2. Valenzi E, Jia M, Gerges P, Fan J, Tabib T, Behara R, Zhou Y, Sembrat J, Das J, Benos PV, Singh H, Lafyatis R. Altered AP-1, RUNX and EGR chromatin dynamics drive fibrotic lung disease. bioRxiv. 2024 Oct 28. PMID: 39554071; PMCID: PMC11565795; DOI: 10.1101/2024.10.23.619858;
     
  3. Tirelli F, Pachera E, Gmür S, Lafyatis R, Huang M, Zulian F, Camarillo Retamosa E, Kania G, Distler O. Long non-coding RNA H19X as a regulator of mononuclear cell adhesion to the endothelium in systemic sclerosis. Rheumatology (Oxford). 2024 Oct 01; 63(10):2846-2855. PMID: 38305495; PMCID: PMC11443020; DOI: 10.1093/rheumatology/keae034;
     
  4. Huang M, Tabib T, Khanna D, Assassi S, Domsic R, Lafyatis R. Single-cell transcriptomes and chromatin accessibility of endothelial cells unravel transcription factors associated with dysregulated angiogenesis in systemic sclerosis. Ann Rheum Dis. 2024 Sep 30; 83(10):1335-1344. PMID: 38754983; PMCID: PMC11442142; DOI: 10.1136/ard-2023-225415;
     
  5. Hutchins T, Sanyal A, Esencan D, Lafyatis R, Jacobe H, Torok KS. Characterization of Endothelial Cell Subclusters in Localized Scleroderma Skin with Single-Cell RNA Sequencing Identifies NOTCH Signaling Pathway. Int J Mol Sci. 2024 Sep 28; 25(19). PMID: 39408800; PMCID: PMC11477421; DOI: 10.3390/ijms251910473;
     
  6. Shehabeldin M, Gao J, Cho Y, Chong R, Tabib T, Li L, Smardz M, Gaffen SL, Diaz PI, Lafyatis R, Little SR, Sfeir C. Therapeutic delivery of CCL2 modulates immune response and restores host-microbe homeostasis. Proc Natl Acad Sci U S A. 2024 Sep 03; 121(36):e2400528121. PMID: 39186644; PMCID: PMC11388407; DOI: 10.1073/pnas.2400528121;
     
  7. Zhou Y, Tabib T, Huang M, Yuan K, Kim Y, Morse C, Sembrat J, Valenzi E, Lafyatis R. Molecular Changes Implicate Angiogenesis and Arterial Remodeling in Systemic Sclerosis-Associated and Idiopathic Pulmonary Hypertension. Arterioscler Thromb Vasc Biol. 2024 Aug; 44(8):e210-e225. PMID: 38841857; PMCID: PMC11269037; DOI: 10.1161/ATVBAHA.123.320005;
     
  8. Renaud L, Wilson CL, Lafyatis R, Schnapp LM, Feghali-Bostwick CA. Transcriptomic characterization of lung pericytes in systemic sclerosis-associated pulmonary fibrosis. iScience. 2024 Jun 21; 27(6):110010. PMID: 38868196; PMCID: PMC11167435; DOI: 10.1016/j.isci.2024.110010;
     
  9. Harvey LD, Alotaibi M, Kim HJ, Tai YY, Tang Y, Sun W, El Khoury W, Woodcock CC, Aaraj YA, St Croix CM, Stolz DB, Lee J, Cheng MH, Schwantes-An TH, Desai AA, Pauciulo MW, Nichols WC, Webb A, Lafyatis R, Nouraie M, Wu H, McDonald JG, Chauvet C, Cheng S, Bahar I, Bertero T, Benza RL, Jain M, Chan SY. Genetic regulation and targeted reversal of lysosomal dysfunction and inflammatory sterol metabolism in pulmonary arterial hypertension. bioRxiv. 2024 Mar 01. PMID: 38464060; PMCID: PMC10925169; DOI: 10.1101/2024.02.26.582142;
     
  10. Padilla CM, Valenzi E, Tabib T, Nazari B, Sembrat J, Rojas M, Fuschiotti P, Lafyatis R. Increased CD8+ tissue resident memory T cells, regulatory T cells and activated natural killer cells in systemic sclerosis lungs. Rheumatology (Oxford). 2024 Mar 01; 63(3):837-845. PMID: 37310903; PMCID: PMC10907815; DOI: 10.1093/rheumatology/kead273;
     
Showing 10 of 258 results. Show More

This graph shows the total number of publications by year, by first, middle/unknown, or last author.

Bar chart showing 258 publications over 35 distinct years, with a maximum of 19 publications in 2023

YearPublications
19881
19897
19908
19919
19921
19932
19944
19961
19971
19982
19992
20001
20024
20031
20043
20052
20067
20078
20084
20098
201014
20115
201210
201310
20149
20159
201617
20179
201810
201913
202013
202116
202215
202319
202413

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75 E. Newton St Evans Building
Boston MA 02118
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