Maureen D. Mayes, M.D., is a rheumatologist and Professor of Medicine in the Division of Rheumatology and Clinical Immunogenetics at the University of Texas-Houston Medical School where she directs the Scleroderma Clinic. She is currently the Principal Investigator of the NIH/NIAMS funded ‘Genome-Wide Association Study in Systemic Sclerosis (Scleroderma)’ and is author of more than 170 publications relating to scleroderma, its complications and its treatment. She is also a member of the Scleroderma Foundation Medical Advisory Board. Dr. Mayes obtained her Masters of Public Health at the University of Michigan where she studied the epidemiology of scleroderma, resulting in a comprehensive analysis of the prevalence, incidence and survival of this disease. She is currently studying the role of genetic factors in scleroderma susceptibility and disease severity. Dr. Mayes also conducts clinical treatment trials in scleroderma, both NIH and industry sponsored.