SUMMARY
Vikas Majithia, M.D., M.P.H., studies systemic autoimmune and inflammatory rheumatic diseases, with a focus on systemic lupus erythematosus, axial spondyloarthritis, systemic vasculitis and myositis. His work integrates clinical trials, outcomes research and cohort-based observational studies to improve therapeutic strategies for patients with complex, multisystem conditions. He investigates disease heterogeneity, treatment response and risk stratification across varied patient populations, including individuals with refractory lupus and complications associated with connective tissue disease.
Dr. Majithia's research spans mechanistic and translational domains such as immune dysregulation in lupus, thromboembolic risk and pulmonary manifestations of vasculitis. He leads and collaborates on multicenter trials evaluating novel cellular therapies including chimeric antigen receptor (CAR)-T cell approaches in severe autoimmune disease. In parallel, he studies implementation of shared decision-making tools and real-world comparative effectiveness to optimize care delivery, improve patient engagement, and generate evidence that informs guideline development and clinical practice.
Focus areas
- Cellular therapies in autoimmune diseases, including lupus. Dr. Majithia explores the safety, feasibility, and clinical efficacy of CD19‑directed CAR-T cell therapies in patients with severe, treatment‑refractory autoimmune diseases. His work focuses primarily on systemic lupus erythematosus but also includes idiopathic inflammatory myopathies, systemic sclerosis and rheumatoid arthritis. This research addresses the critical unmet need for durable remission in patients who do not respond adequately to standard immunosuppressive therapies.
- Axial spondyloarthritis outcomes. Dr. Majithia contributes to guideline development and cohort studies aimed at refining classification criteria, assessing disease activity measures and improving treat-to-target strategies for axial spondyloarthritis.
- Shared decision-making implementation. Dr. Majithia evaluates implementation strategies for patient decision aids in lupus across diverse rheumatology clinics. He examines adoption, workflow integration and patient-reported outcomes to close gaps between evidence-based recommendations and real-world care.
- Complications of systemic autoimmunity. Dr. Majithia studies thromboembolic risk, pulmonary involvement, and other systemic complications in lupus and vasculitis. He uses longitudinal and registry‑based analyses to identify modifiable risk factors and inform preventive strategies.
Significance to patient care
Autoimmune diseases such as lupus and spondyloarthritis can cause lifelong pain, damage to organs and serious health issues. Dr. Majithia's research helps healthcare professionals understand which treatments work best for different people and which patients may be more likely to develop complications. His work also focuses on helping patients take a more active role in making decisions about their care. Studies of new cell‑based treatments may offer hope for people whose diseases have not improved with standard medicines. Overall, this research aims to make care safer, more personal and more effective.
Professional highlights
- Mayo Clinic:
- Program director and principal investigator, Lupus Clinical Investigators Network, 2025-present.
- Program director and principal investigator, Breakfree-SLE Phase 2 CAR-T Study, 2025-2030.
- Program director and principal investigator, CAB-201 Phase 1/2 CAR-T Study, 2024-2027.
- Program director and principal investigator, CC-97540 Phase 1 CAR-T Study, 2024-2026.
- Vice president, Rheumatology Research Foundation, 2025-present.
- Treasurer, Florida Society of Rheumatology, 2024-present.
- Chair, Publications Committee, Spondyloarthritis Research and Treatment Network, 2022-present.
- Senior editor, MKSAP Rheumatology, American College of Physicians, 2022-present.