Core Center

以患者为导向的生物医学研究，涉及风湿病的诊断、疾病机制、疾病活动监测和新的治疗方法，是约翰霍普金斯风湿病学系的标志。这项研究是围绕着建立良好的疾病特异性卓越中心进行的，这些中心包括硬皮病（弗雷德·威格利博士）、狼疮（米歇尔·佩特里博士）、关节炎（琼·巴顿博士）和血管炎（约翰·斯通博士）。这些临床队列与由博士指导的强大的基础科学项目密切相关。安东尼·罗森和利维娅·卡西奥拉·罗森。近年来，该计划得到了杰出的机构支持，实现了显著增长，对共享设备和基础设施进行了投资，并在该司内外启动了多个协同项目。我们的风湿病研究核心中心（RDRCC）的提案利用了风湿病学部强大的生物医学研究基础，以及来自约翰霍普金斯大学更广泛的科学界的其他杰出人才。

Patient-oriented biomedical investigation related to diagnosis, disease mechanisms, monitoring disease activity and new therapeutic approaches in rheumatic disease is the hallmark of the Johns Hopkins Division of Rheumatology. This research is structured around well-established disease-specific Centers of Excellence in scleroderma (Dr. Fred Wigley), lupus (Dr. Michelle Petri), arthritis (Dr. Joan Bathon), and vasculitis (Dr. John Stone). These clinical cohorts are coupled closely with a robust basic science program directed by Drs. Antony Rosen and Livia Casciola-Rosen. In recent years, this program has received outstanding institutional support, enabling significant growth, investment in shared equipment and infrastructure, and the initiation of multiple synergistic projects both within and outside the Division. Our Rheumatic Disease Research Core Center (RDRCC) proposal capitalizes upon the strong biomedical research base within the Division of Rheumatology, as well as additional outstanding talent from the broader scientific community at Johns Hopkins. The Hopkins RDRCC proposal comprises an Administrative Core (Core A) led by Drs. Antony Rosen and John Stone, and includes 2 Scientific Cores: 1) a Bioassay Core (Core B), led by Drs. James Mahoney, Mark Soloski, and Livia Casciola-Rosen; and 2) a Genotyping/Genomics Core (Core C), led by Dr. Kathleen Barnes, designed to foster new research within and beyond the Division's Disease Centers. Core A will promote interdisciplinary research through the cores, provide assistance with financial management, provide information technology solutions to maximize efficiency of translational research, and coordinate program enrichment activities. The Administrative core will also manage the Pilot and Feasibility program. Pilot studies chosen for the first year are tightly linked to the disease Centers and Cores. Pilot #1 will optimize assays to quantify clearance of apoptotic cells directly ex vivo in pediatric SLE patients. Pilot #2 will explore the association of genetic polymorphisms in granzyme B with specific phenotypes in scleroderma. Core B will provide assistance with patient sample acquisition, processing, storage, and distribution, as well as the provision of multiple immunological assays, including FACS, ELISA, immunohistology, and multiplex cytokine assays. Core C will perform, analyze, and interpret gene expression studies in a variety of human disease and control tissues and some mouse models. Core C will also oversee the design, performance and analysis of genetic association studies in well-defined human rheumatic phenotypes.