This Project Grant award of $147,400.00, provided by the National Institute of Arthritis and Musculoskeletal and Skin Diseases (NIAMS) under the Arthritis, Musculoskeletal and Skin Diseases Research program (CFDA 93.846), aims to investigate the mechanisms by which antigen non-related CD4+ T cells contribute to the pathogenesis of skin fibrosis in systemic sclerosis (scleroderma) and sclerodermoid graft-versus-host disease. The project, conducted by Yale University, will use mouse models to characterize the bystander activation of CD4+ T cells and examine the cytokine signals that drive this process, with the goal of identifying new targetable signaling pathways for the development of treatments. The award period runs from August 1, 2024 to July 31, 2026.