M. Kari Connolly, MD
HS Associate Clinical ProfessorDepartments of Dermatology and
Medicine (Rheumatology)
Contact Information
Training
- MD: Albany Medical College
- Residency: University of California, Los Angeles
Internal Medicine - Residency: University of California, San Francisco
Dermatology - Fellowship: University of California, San Francisco
Rheumatology
Dr. Connolly's overall interest is in autoimmune skin diseases and the mechanisms by which tissue damage occurs. She is involved with a variety of research studies involving lupus erythematosus, dermatomyositis, scleroderma and blistering diseases. Her laboratory processes several hundred specimens a year. She participates in a variety of clinical trials looking at new biologic agents in autoimmune diseases.
Dr. Connolly's primary research focus is on the mechanisms of disease in scleroderma skin. The centerpiece of this project is the UCSF Scleroderma Database and Tissue Bank. This collaborative effort combines clinical data and tissue specimens with basic science tools to generate new molecular markers for scleroderma. The goal is to analyze these samples using increasingly sophisticated microarrays and bioinformatics programs. Dr. Connolly has begun this analysis for sets of expressed gene products in scleroderma skin and fibroblasts and sees this as an important new approach to address fundamental questions in this disease. The scope of these projects is broad and encompasses the immune system, growth factors and their receptors, the extracellular matrix, blood vessles and nerves in the skin in order to advance the understanding and treatment of scleroderma.
Clinical Specialties and Research Interests
- Autoimmune Skin Diseases
- Lupus Erythematosus
- Dermatomyositis
- Scleroderma
- Blistering Diseases
- New Biologic Agents in Autoimmune Diseases
Publications
- Leask A, Abraham DJ, Finlay DR, Holmes A, Pennington D, Shiwen X, Chen Y, Venstrom K, Dou X, Ponticos M, Jackman JK, Findell PR, Connolly MK. Dysregulation of TGFß signaling in scleroderma: Over-expression of endoglin in cutaneous scleroderma fibroblasts. Arthritis Rheum 2002, 46:1857-1865.
- O'Hare A, Olson JL, Connolly MK, Ward JW, Stein P, Wisnieski JJ, Chertow GM. Renal insufficiency with monoclonal gammopathy and urticarial vasculitis. Am J Kidney Dis 2002, 39:203-207.
- Connolly MD, Tuffanelly DL. Systemic sclerosis. In: Cutaneous Manifestation of Rheumatic Diseases. (eds) RD Sontheimer, TT Provost. 2nd edition. Williams & Wilkins, Baltimore, MD, (in press), 2003.
- Whitfield ML, Finlay DR, Murray JI, Troyanskaya OG, Chi JT, Pergamenschikov A, Brown PO, Botstein D, Connolly MK. Gene expression patterns in scleroderma. PNAS (manuscript submitted), 2003.