Department of Medicine

University of Pittsburgh

Division of Rheumatology and Clinical Immunology
S700 Biomedical Science Tower
3500 Terrace Street
Pittsburgh, PA 15261
Phone: (412) 383-8000

Thomas A. Medsger Jr., MD

photo

Division of Rheumatology

Gerald P. Rodnan Professor of Medicine

Director, Scleroderma Research Program

Professor of Medicine

Office: Arthritis Institute
S720 BST, 3500 Terrace Street
Pittsburgh, PA 15261
 
Phone: 412-383-8734
Fax: 412-648-8894
E-mail: medsger@dom.pitt.edu

Education
B.A., Haverford College, 1958
M.D., University of Pennsylvania, 1962

Training
Internship, Jackson Memorial Hospital, 1963
Fellowship, University of Pittsburgh, 1966
Residency (Internal Medicine), Presbyterian University Hospital, Pittsburgh, 1968
Fellowship, University of Tennessee College of Medicine, 1969

Area of Specialization/Research Interest  
systemic sclerosis
localized scleroderma
Raynaud's disease
polymyositis/dermatomyositis
adult onset Still's disease
 

Profile
Dr. Medsger’s research focuses on the epidemiology, clinical and laboratory features and natural history of systemic sclerosis (SSc) and localized forms of scleroderma (LScl), Raynaud disease and polymyositis/dermatomyositis. He and collaborators have described many serologic subsets of SSc and LScl, their distinctive clinical findings, survival and immunogenetic associations. He has developed a SSc disease severity index and has proposed criteria for the classification of early SSc. Current studies include cytokines and other soluble protein markers as SSc disease activity measures, lung transplantation, SSc in twins, childhood onset SSc and LScl and the usefulness and mechanisms of action of D-penicillamine and autologous stem cell transplantation therapy.

Recent Grants
Title: Mediators of Fibrosis in Scleroderma Skin and Lung
Role: Co-Investigator
Amount: 1,378,185
Funding Agency: NIH
Start Year: 2003
End Year: 2007
For Pub Med search results, click here.