The Division of Rheumatology strives to understand more about rheumatic diseases through all types of research. Scientific investigations in the division explore questions such as: why certain individuals develop these diseases while other individuals do not, how to diagnose diseases accurately and early, how the diseases affect patients, whether their family members are likely to suffer from the same disease, whether anything can be done to prevent rheumatic diseases, and which treatment approaches work best to manage the disease. These types of studies are termed observational research and do not involve an investigational (unapproved) medication. The Division of Rheumatology also conducts clinical trials to discover new treatments for rheumatic disease. If you want information about either type of research study, select the disease category below: