About Us

• Dr. Elizabeth Volkmann is the Director of the UCLA Scleroderma Program and the founder and Co-Director of the UCLA Connective Tissue Disease-Related Interstitial Lung Disease (CTD-ILD) Program. She is an internationally recognized expert in systemic sclerosis and connective tissue disease-related interstitial lung disease. Board-certified in both Internal Medicine and Rheumatology, Dr. Volkmann graduated from Pomona College where she majored in Neuroscience and minored in Dance. She received her medical degree from UCLA David Geffen School of Medicine, and subsequently completed her residency in Internal Medicine and fellowship in Rheumatology at UCLA. During her fellowship, she participated in the Specialty Training and Advanced Research (STAR) Program and earned her Master of Science degree in Clinical Research. Dr. Volkmann is an active clinical and translational researcher in systemic sclerosis and interstitial lung disease. Her research focuses on developing personalized treatment approaches for patients through the discovery of novel biomarkers. She pioneered the first study to investigate the gut microbiome in patients with systemic sclerosis and now leads an international consortium of investigators dedicated to understanding how the gut microbiome contributes to inflammation and clinical symptoms in patients with systemic sclerosis. She also participates in clinical trials to help identify new therapies for patients with autoimmune diseases. She strives to provide humanistic and compassionate care and seeks to empower her patients to improve their health through traditional, as well as holistic approaches. She enjoys being active in nature (running, hiking, swimming, riding horses), and she loves to travel, dance and spend time with her family and friends. Patient Stories True Compassion