John Varga, MD, FACP, MACR
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About
John Varga MD attended Columbia University in New York, and obtained his medical degree from New York University. He completed Internal Medicine Residency at Rhode Island Hospital in Providence and Rheumatology Fellowship at Boston University. Following post-doctoral research at the University of Pennsylvania, he was on the faculty of the University of Illinois and Northwestern University in Chicago, and recently was recruited to Chief of Rheumatology at the University of Michigan. For the past three decades, Varga’s research has focused on fibrosis and the application of precision medicine approaches to improve patient outcomes. His lab, continuously funded by the NIH, investigates immunological and cellular mechanisms of fibrosis. He has served as a charter member of the NIH ACTS Study section and Co-Editor of Arthritis and Rheumatology, and is a member of the ACR Board of Directors. He is the author of more than 380 journal articles and book chapters and three textbooks. He has mentored over 20 post-doctoral MD and PhD trainees, many of whom have gone on to develop successful academic or industry careers.
Links
John Varga Sclerolab
Qualifications
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Post-doctoral Research Fellow, T32University of Pennsylvania, Philadelphia, United States
1985 - 1987
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Rheumatology FellowBoston University School of Medicine, Boston, United States
1983 - 1985
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Intern and Resident in MedicineRhode Island Hospital/Brown, United States
1980 - 1983
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MDNew York University School of Medicine, New York, NY, United States
1978 - 1980
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BAColumbia University, New York, United States
1971 - 1975
Center Memberships
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Center MemberSamuel and Jean Frankel Cardiovascular Center
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Center MemberGlobal REACH
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Center MemberCenter for Computational Medicine and Bioinformatics
Research Overview
My lab studies inflammation and metabolism in the context of chronic autoimmune and fibrotic diseases. We use mouse models, patient samples, genetics and genomics to identify mechanisms of disease and novel targets for therapy. Our research is patient-oriented and we embrace of a tight "bench-to-bedside-to bench" approach. Our Michigan Scleroderma Program afford unique access to patients including genetics and biological specimen, for our research, including early-stage clinical trials.
Visit the John Varga Sclerolab website: https://medresearch.umich.edu/labs-departments/labs/sclerolab
Recent Publications
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Wells R, Caballero-Ruiz B, Mulipa P, Timmis AJ, Teves ME, Varga J, Del Galdo F, Ross RL, Riobo-Del Galdo NA. Arthritis Research and Therapy, 2026 Dec 1; 28 (1):Journal ArticleAurora A kinase activation contributes to the fibrotic phenotype in systemic sclerosis through primary cilia shortening
DOI:10.1186/s13075-026-03826-6 PMID: 42098768 -
Verma P, Hamill T, Bale S, Shah K, Patel K, Dey P, Bajzelj M, Yalavarthi B, Tsou P, Gudjonsson JE, Khanna D, Varga J, Bhattacharyya S. Journal of Investigative Dermatology, 2026 Jul 22; 146 (8): s157Proceeding / Abstract / Poster0908 Targeting histone acetyl transferase p300 for treating fibrosis and senescence: A new therapeutic approach
DOI:10.1016/j.jid.2026.06.939 -
Ren H, Verma P, Packiarajan M, Teves M, Varga J. Journal of Investigative Dermatology, 2026 Jul 22; 146 (8): s164Journal Article0952 A novel HDAC6 deacetylase inhibitor elongates primary cilia in fibroblasts: Ciliotherapy for fibrosis
DOI:10.1016/j.jid.2026.06.983 -
Zhang H, Stuart P, Li Q, Patrick M, Varga J, Kahlenberg M, Khanna D, Gudjonsson JE, Tsoi L. Journal of Investigative Dermatology, 2026 Jul 22; 146 (8): s204Journal ArticleLB1169 Genetic risk for systemic sclerosis is mediated through context-dependent regulation of fibroblast inflammatory responses
DOI:10.1016/j.jid.2026.06.1200 -
Zhang H, Patrick MT, Sarkar MK, Bogle R, Li Q, Uppala R, Perez White BE, Petukhova L, Dand N, Stuart PE, Christiano AM, Simpson MA, Barker JN, Weidinger S, Modlin RL, Betz RC, Khanna D, Varga J, Kahlenberg JM, He K, Elder JT, Zhou X, Gudjonsson JE, Tsoi LC. Journal of Allergy and Clinical Immunology, 2026 Aug 1; 158 (2): 470 - 481.Journal ArticleMulticytokine-based transcriptome-wide association study for 7 inflammatory skin disorders identifies candidate causal genes in keratinocytes
DOI:10.1016/j.jaci.2026.05.013 PMID: 42203178 -
Shah K, Verma P, Hamil T, Dey P, Bale S, Yalavarthi B, Tsou PS, Gudjonsson JE, Khanna D, Varga J, Bhattacharyya S. Journal of Investigative Dermatology, 2026 Aug 1; 146 (8): 2317 - 2321.e5.Journal ArticleNintedanib attenuates profibrotic gene expression in a 3-dimensional organotypic culture model of systemic sclerosis skin fibrosis
DOI:10.1016/j.jid.2026.01.046 PMID: 41796853 -
Nguyen J, Peidl A, Chitturi P, McClintock S, Knibbs R, Kannan Z, Abdi BA, Denomy C, Bhandari P, Carter DE, Petitjean M, Varga J, Khanna D, Stratton RJ, Aslam MN, Varani J, Riser BL, Leask A. 2026 Jul 10; bioRxiv,PreprintCCN3-derived peptide BLR-200 impairs YAP activation and attenuates bleomycin-induced skin fibrosis through blocking the generation of Sfrp2-positive fibroblasts
DOI:10.64898/2026.07.07.734740 -
Kaundal U, Tsou PS, Sahu M, Huang M, Boyden SE, Woodford CM, Shriner D, Stenson E, Safran SA, Zhou Y, Talley TA, Gudapati K, Zhang X, Kunishita Y, Wang J, Shah AA, Mayes MD, Doumatey AP, Bentley AR, Domsic R, Medsger TA, Ramos PS, Silver RM, Steen V, Varga J, Hsu V, Saketkoo LA, Schiopu E, Gordon JK, Criswell LA, Gladue H, Derk C, Bernstein EJ, Bridges SL, Shanmugam V, Chung L, Kafaja S, Jan R, Trojanowski M, Goldberg A, Korman BD, Mullikin J, Thomas JW, Dell'Orso S, Randazzo D, Adeyemo A, Remmers EF, Schwartzberg PL, Aksentijevich I, Rotimi C, Wigley FM, Wang RA, Boin F, Khanna D, Lafyatis R, Kastner DL, Gourh P. Annals of the Rheumatic Diseases, 2026 Jul 1; 85 (7): 1396 - 1412.Journal ArticleGain of function NOTCH4 variants disrupt angiogenesis in systemic sclerosis
DOI:10.1016/j.ard.2025.12.015 PMID: 41644364
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