Dr. Cynthia Aranow will direct the clinical trials initiative in the Center. Investigators in the divisions of Rheumatology, Endocrinology, Gastroenterology and Hematology will participate in performing clinical trials in autoimmune disease. There is a General Clinical Research Center (GCRC) to support these studies. The GCRC includes an administrative, nursing and biostatistical infrastructure, as well as a laboratory for several standard procedures. Two clinical trials are proposed: one to explore the use of statins in rheumatoid arthritis and a second to test whether DNase I reduces chromatin and DNA reactivity in systemic lupus. The reagents needed for these trials are readily available. The clinical trials initiative will be guided by an internal advisory committee consisting of clinical and translational researchers, most of whom are also practicing clinicians.