Suzanne Kafaja, MD

Dr. Suzanne Kafaja is a board-certified rheumatologist and the Director of the Scleroderma Clinical Trials Program at UCLA. She is a highly esteemed physician-scientist who specializes in rheumatology with expertise in scleroderma.

She began her journey in the field of science and medicine at UCLA, where she earned her Bachelor's degree in Biology with summa cum laude honors, as well as departmental and college honors. Dr. Kafaja also obtained her medical degree from David Geffen School of Medicine at UCLA. Her passion for skin biology and immunology led her to pursue a research fellowship in Dermatology, where she worked with Dr. Jenny Kim, studying the role of innate immunity and Toll-Like Receptors response to P. acnes.

Dr. Kafaja is dedicated to advancing the field of rheumatology; this is evident by her extensive training and research. She completed a two-year Rheumatology Fellowship program at UCLA in 2008, with a focus on scleroderma care and translational research, under the mentorship of world-renowned scleroderma experts such as Drs. Daniel Furst, Philip Clements, and Dinesh Khanna. During her fellowship, Dr. Kafaja also conducted bench research supported by an NIH grant, where she investigated the role of immune cell interactions in skin inflammation and fibrosis. This resulted in a publication in the Journal of Clinical Immunology Insight. Given her expertise, she was hired by the Division of Rheumatology at UCLA in 2010 as a scleroderma expert.

Dr. Kafaja's clinical expertise extends to managing a complex cohort of patients with scleroderma and scleroderma mimickers, including eosinophilic fasciitis, scleroderma and scleromyxedema, collaborating with various specialists to establish and provide a state-of-the-art multi-specialty center for scleroderma care at UCLA. She is highly regarded by her colleagues who often refer their challenging cases to her for her expertise and compassionate care. Her collaborations with other experts in the field locally and internationally have resulted in impactful publications, including the SLS trials and the SCOT trial involving stem cell transplant in scleroderma patients, which were published in the prestigious New England Journal of Medicine (NEJM).

As the Director of Scleroderma Clinical Trials at UCLA, Dr. Kafaja is committed to providing excellence in clinical care and research. She is unwavering in her commitment to advancing the field of rheumatology and improving the lives of patients with autoimmune diseases, particularly scleroderma. Her outstanding contributions to scleroderma care have been recognized by the Scleroderma Foundation, with the Spirit of Leadership award. Dr. Kafaja also holds leadership roles in various professional organizations, such as serving as a medical advisor to the Scleroderma Foundation of California, an active member of the American College of Rheumatology scientific review committee, the World Scleroderma Congress Scientific review committee, the UCLA Pearson Conference organizing committee, the UCLA rheumatology fellowship selection committee, and the National Scleroderma Foundation Scientific Review Committee.

Dr. Kafaja's, compassionate and integrated whole-body approach to rheumatology is evidenced by her achievements and contributions to patient care. Dr. Kafaja is frequently commended by her patients as a one of a kind Dr. who blends the best of the old-fashioned family doctor cares with a modern knowledge base. Her expertise, research, and leadership roles at UCLA and beyond make her a respected and renowned physician-scientist in the field of rheumatology and autoimmune diseases.