Summary
Pravitt Gourh, M.D. is a board-certified rheumatologist with a long-standing interest in scleroderma and autoimmunity. He currently directs a translational research program focused on understanding the genetics of pediatric and adult scleroderma, biomarker discovery, and disease classification.
Dr. Gourh received his medical degree in India, after which he conducted postdoctoral research in genetics at the McGovern Medical School, part of the University of Texas Health Science Center at Houston. He then joined the faculty and went on to become Assistant Professor of Medicine. Dr. Gourh completed his medical training at Houston, followed by an adult rheumatology fellowship at the National Institute of Arthritis and Musculoskeletal and Skin Diseases (NIAMS). He became a Henry Metzger Scholar in Translational Medicine at the NIAMS and began studying the genetics of African American scleroderma patients. Dr. Gourh was appointed as an Assistant Clinical Investigator in 2019 and is also an attending physician on the NIH Rheumatology Consultation Service.
Research Statement
Dr. Gourh’s research has focused on unraveling the genetic risk factors involved in scleroderma pathogenesis. One of his current projects, the Genome Research in African American Scleroderma Patients (GRASP), is researching the largest cohort of African American scleroderma patients to identify genetic differences that increase the prevalence and severity of scleroderma in the African American population. Another major area of interest is understanding autoimmunity and the role that autoantibodies, human leukocyte antigen (HLA), and T cells play in autoimmune diseases.
In addition to his research activities, Dr. Gourh is an active clinician and teacher. He has served in various roles at the American College of Rheumatology (ACR) and received multiple awards, including the Carwile Leroy/Joseph Korn Prize for Research in Scleroderma, the Young Investigator Award at the 10th International Systemic Sclerosis Workshop, the ACR Research and Education Foundation Abbott Medical and Pediatric Resident Research Award, the ACR Rheumatology Research Workshop Outstanding Abstract Award, the 33rd European Workshop for Rheumatology Research Travel Award, the ACR Distinguished Fellow Award, and the NIH Genome Recognition of Employee Accomplishments and Talents (GREAT) Award. He has given presentations both nationally and internationally.
Scientific Publications
Education
Maharaja Sayajirao University, Baroda, India
M.D.
Experience
Internal Medicine Residency
McGovern Medical School, The University of Texas Health Science Center, Houston, TX
Rheumatology Fellowship
National Institute of Arthritis and Musculoskeletal and Skin Diseases, National Institutes of Health