The Causes and Symptoms of Scleroderma

A tenured professor at the Yale School of Medicine, Michael Simons, MD, engages as the founding director of the Yale Cardiovascular Research Center. Respected in his field, Dr. Michael Simons participated in the 14th International Workshop on Scleroderma Research at St. John’s College, Cambridge.

A chronic condition, scleroderma involves a hardening of the connective tissue and proteins that make up the tissue. The focus is on the skin’s collagen, with scleroderma having the meaning “hard skin.” The autoimmune response involves the cells overproducing collagen, which in turn prevents the normal functioning of other organs in the body.

Known as Raynaud’s phenomenon, primary symptoms include fingers that change color with cold or when emotional stress occurs. Another symptom is that hands and fingers grow puffy and stiff.

Dr. Simons counts a collaboration involving Johns Hopkins on angiogenic inhibitors and pulmonary hypertension development among his laboratory’s areas of research. A particular emphasis is on scleroderma patients and the effects of circulating angiogenic inhibitors on the disease’s progress.

Yale Study Explores New Cardiovascular and Cancer Treatments with Mice

Dr. Michael Simons graduated from the Yale School of Medicine with cum laude honors. Over his 30-year career, Dr. Michael Simons has served as a cardiovascular physician, researcher, and instructor.

In one of the cancer-related studies Dr. Simons led at Yale, researchers examined mice who had been genetically engineered to lack signaling in a certain family of growth factors (called an FGF) in the lining of their blood vessels. The study demonstrated that the FGF’s trigger the expression of a cancer-related gene called c-Myc. This discovery is important in the field of cancer research because it shows a previously unknown link between growth factors and cell metabolism.

The potential applications of these findings appear promising. In the next stage of research, scientists will look for ways to create therapies based on this new knowledge. For instance, researchers may develop and test drugs that block pathways for cancerous growth in vessels, or explore therapies that stimulate growth of beneficial vessels in patients with cardiovascular disease.