The UCLA Scleroderma Program is dedicated to improving the lives of patients with systemic sclerosis, also known as scleroderma.
Offering both comprehensive clinical care and innovative research opportunities, the UCLA Scleroderma Program is one of the largest referral centers for patients with systemic sclerosis in the world and is a designated Scleroderma Center of Excellence.
The Program is comprised of a multi-disciplinary team of experts internationally recognized for their contribution to caring for patients with systemic sclerosis and advancing research for this condition. All patients who come to the UCLA Scleroderma Program are given the opportunity to undergo evaluation by scleroderma specialists in rheumatology, pulmonology, gastroenterology, cardiology, radiology and pathology. Dedicated Program staff members schedule patient visits and studies to ensure excellent care coordination and continuity.
In addition to receiving state-of-the-art clinical care, patients in UCLA Scleroderma Program have the opportunity participate in both clinical and translational research studies. The Program receives funding from the NIH, Scleroderma Foundation, and multiple industry sponsors to conduct research aimed at improving our understanding of the causes of systemic sclerosis. Patients in the Program also have the chance to participate in the latest clinical trials for systemic sclerosis to help discover new therapies for the multiple clinical dimensions of this condition.
All physicians, nurses and staff in the UCLA Scleroderma Program are devoted to working collegially as a team, to educating patients and their loves one, empowering them with knowledge and experience, and ensuring that each patient is treated as a unique individual.
Rheumatology
Elizabeth R. Volkmann, MD, MS, UCLA Scleroderma Program Director
Philip J. Clements, MD, MPH
Suzanne Kafaja, MD
Heather Bukiri, MD, UCLA Scleroderma Program Fellow
Pulmonary
Sam S. Weigt, MD, MS
Rajan Saggar, MD
Michael D. Roth, MD
Donald Tashkin, MD
Ariss DerHovanessian, MD
(Yusaku) Michael Shino, MD, MS
Allison Ramsey, MD
David M. Sayah, MD, PhD, MPH
John A. Belperio, MD
Augustine Chung, MD
Tamas Dolinay, MD
Gastroenterology
Terri Getzug, MD
Jeffrey L. Conklin, MD
Kevin Ghassemi, MD
Cardiology
Eric Yang, MD
Shelley M. Shapiro, MD
Radiology
Jonathan G. Goldin, MD, PhD
Grace Kim, PhD
Lila Pourzand, MD
Robert D. Suh, MD
Pathology
Patient visits
Kimberly Sowells: 310-825-2448
Research opportunities
Talaya Martinez: 310-794-6213
