[ACTS Membership Roster] [ACTS Meeting Rosters]

The Arthritis, Connective Tissue and Skin Sciences [ACTS] Study Section reviews basic and clinical research applications dealing with the biology and diseases of joints, connective tissue, and skin. Specific areas covered by ACTS:

• Arthritis and Connective Tissue: Inheritable, inflammatory and degenerative diseases of joints and connective tissues.
• Rheumatic diseases such as systemic lupus erythematosus, rheumatoid arthritis, Sjogren’s syndrome, osteoarthritis, scleroderma, psoriatic arthritis, spondyloarthropathies, vasculitides, polymyalgia rheumatica, fibromyalgia, palindromic arthritis, Lyme arthritis, septic arthritis, juvenile arthritis, polymyositis, dermatomyositis, crystal-induced diseases, and undifferentiated connective tissue diseases.
• Biology of the joint and connective tissue: structure and function of cartilage, bone, ligaments, tendons, synovium, extracellular matrix, capsule, joint fluid, blood vessels, innervation, articular cartilage, muscle, skin, immune system and other organs affected by rheumatic diseases.
• Skin and Cutaneous Biology: Disorders of skin and skin appendages, such as inflammatory, pre-neoplastic, and hyperproliferative disorders, as well as systemic diseases with significant cutaneous involvement.
• Biology, physiology, development and homeostasis of the skin and skin appendages.
• Studies of skin interactions with the environment: photoaging, UV sensitivity reactions; role of skin in transepidermal delivery of drugs; role of skin as a barrier against infectious, mechanical, and other toxic insults.

Study sections with most closely related areas of similar science listed in rank order are:

Hypersensitivity, Autoimmune, and Immune-mediated Diseases [HAI]
Skeletal Biology Structure and Regeneration [SBSR]  
Skeletal Biology Development and Disease [SBDD]
Skeletal Muscle Biology and Exercise Physiology [SMEP]
Innate Immunity and Inflammation [III]