The goal of this study is to understand how positive and negative social experiences affect epigenetic marks and gene function, and thereby influence lupus in African American women. This study requires one study visit to answer a few questionnaires and donate a blood sample. We are looking for volunteers with and without lupus to participate. Compensation is available.

We plan to obtain skin biopsies from patients with systemic sclerosis and healthy donors to grow cells from biopsies. With those cells, we will use them in experiments to see why the cells from systemic sclerosis patients have more fibrosis compared to patients without systemic sclerosis.

The goal of this study is to develop an early systemic sclerosis (SSc) registry in the United States (US). A registry is a group of patients that are observed over time. This is a non-interventional study, meaning that they are no study specific medications to take or procedures to undergo. The specific aims include ongoing assessment of the natural history of early SSc patients by capturing and analyzing clinical data, patient reported outcomes, and laboratory data as seen in the clinic as part of their routine care needs. Additional study visits are not required. This is a multi-center study with sites spread across the U.S. This study is funded by the Scleroderma Research Foundation.

The purpose of this study is to create and maintain a registry, which is a database (a searchable collection of information) about children, adolescents and young adults with pediatric onset of rheumatic diseases. This data may help in the evaluation of the safety and benefit of medications that are prescribed to patients who have rheumatic diseases.

The purpose of this study is to evaluate the efficacy and safety of mesenchymal stem cells (MSCs) obtained from umbilical cords for the treatment of adults with systemic lupus erythematosus (SLE). The goal of this study is to determine if patients receiving an MSC infusion plus standard of care respond better than patients receiving a placebo infusion plus standard of care.

Systemic lupus erythematosus (lupus; SLE), Systemic Sclerosis (scleroderma; SSc) and Systemic Vasculitis (SV) are relatively rare rheumatic diseases that disproportionately impact the African American community, and particularly African American women. The causes of lupus, scleroderma and vasculitis are unknown, but thought to include both genetic and environmental factors. We are enrolling lupus, scleroderma, and vasculitis patients, and healthy control subjects. This is not a drug study. The purpose of this study is to better understand the factors that predispose people to develop lupus, scleroderma, and vasculitis. Information about medical, social and family history, medications, physical exam findings, and laboratory tests will be collected for analysis. This study will involve approximately 1360 volunteers.