Autoimmune Diseases

Eighty percent of people affected by autoimmune diseases are women. Many autoimmune diseases are more prevalent in women, while other autoimmune diseases affect women almost exclusively.

Examples include Hashimoto's disease (affects more women than men by a 10-1 ratio); lupus (8-1 ratio); Graves' disease (7-1 ratio); multiple sclerosis (3-1 ratio); and rheumatoid arthritis (2.5-1 ratio).

Areas of focus

Autoimmune disease research in the Women's Health Research Center will initially focus on risks, determinants and outcomes of:

• Autoimmune rheumatic diseases
• Autoimmune thyroid disease
• Multiple sclerosis

Faculty involved

Center faculty members involved in autoimmune disease research include:

• Rebecca S. Bahn, M.D.
• Sherine E. Gabriel, M.D.