Environmental Autoimmunity
Clinical Research
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Frederick W. Miller, M.D., Ph.D. (http://www.niehs.nih.gov/research/clinical/ea/index.cfm)
Principal Investigator -
Tel (301) 451-6273, 1-888-271-3207
Fax (301) 451-5585
millerf@mail.nih.govCurriculum Vitae (446KB) -
Hatfield Clinical Research Center, NIH
10 Center Drive, Bldg. 10, Room 4-2352, MSC 1301
Bethesda, Maryland 20892-1301
Research Summary
The mission of the Environmental Autoimmunity Group (EAG) is to understand the mechanisms for the development of autoimmune diseases so that group members can extend healthy life and reduce the burdens of illness and disability. The group conducts a broad program of clinical and basic investigation in the area of adult and pediatric autoimmune diseases.
The EAG uses multidisciplinary approaches to understand the roles of genetic and environmental risk factors for these diseases. Group members are currently focusing investigations on the Systemic Rheumatic Diseases. These diseases include Rheumatoid Arthritis, Systemic Lupus Erythematosus, Systemic Sclerosis (Scleroderma) and the Idiopathic Inflammatory Myopathies (DermatoMyositis, Polymyositis, Inclusion Body Myositis and related Myositis Syndromes). These diseases are heterogeneous groups of disorders defined by chronic inflammation, as prototypic autoimmune diseases. EAG studies include epidemiologic surveys, molecular genetic studies and clinical investigations in disease pathogenesis, as well as the development of clinical tools for assessment of innovative therapies.
The EAG supports studies at the NIH Clinical Center.
Major areas of research:
- Understanding the Mechanisms for the Development of Autoimmune Diseases
Current projects:
- Defining Roles of Genetic and Environmental Risk Factors for Systemic Rheumatic Diseases
Frederick Miller, M.D., Ph.D., heads the Environmental Autoimmunity Group in the Clinical Research Program. He oversees investigators in his group as well as others in national and international consortia that evaluate and conduct a wide range of basic and clinical studies on adult and juvenile autoimmune diseases. He obtained his M.D. and Ph.D. from Case Western Reserve University, went on to medical residencies at Emory and Stanford, and then did rheumatology and immunology training at the NIH. His work in the field of autoimmune diseases spans nearly three decades and involves many aspects of the environmental risk factors, epidemiology, immunology, genetics, pathogenesis, evaluation, and treatment of immune-mediated diseases. He has focused much of his work on autoimmune muscle diseases. Miller has received a number of awards of distinction and has authored or co-authored over 200 research publications, reviews, books, and book chapters. He co-established and is co-chair of the International Myositis Assessment and Clinical Studies Group (IMACS). He has recently established the Myositis Genetics Consortium (MYOGEN) to define new genetic risk and protective factors for myositis and is heading up a number of studies to identify environmental risk factors for autoimmune diseases.
