Federal Project Grant Award Summary

The National Institute of Arthritis and Musculoskeletal and Skin Diseases (NIAMS) awarded the University of Virginia a Project Grant totaling $377,506 (Award Date: June 1, 2026; Completion Date: May 31, 2028) under the Arthritis, Musculoskeletal and Skin Diseases Research program (CFDA 93.846). This research project investigates the modulation of efferocytosis—the physiological clearance of apoptotic cells—as a therapeutic strategy in systemic sclerosis (SSC), a severe autoimmune disease characterized by cutaneous, pulmonary, and organ fibrosis. The research will evaluate whether reduced or "measured" efferocytosis can mitigate excessive fibrosis and inflammation at sites of chronic inflammation, challenging current scientific understanding that increased apoptotic cell persistence inevitably leads to pathology.

The project will test the impact of efferocytosis modulation on systemic sclerosis development and severity using established disease models, with research performance conducted at the University of Virginia's Charlottesville, Virginia facility. Deliverables from this federally-funded investigation are expected to include mechanistic insights into the relationship between apoptotic cell clearance and fibrotic disease progression, preclinical animal model data, and peer-reviewed publications that may inform future therapeutic interventions for systemic sclerosis and other fibrotic conditions.