Overview
Dr. Megan Clowse is a Professor of Medicine and Chief of the Division of Rheumatology and Immunology; she also holds joint appointments in the Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology and Population Health Sciences. Her clinical research focuses on the management of rheumatic diseases in pregnancy. She has cared for over 1000 pregnancies in women with rheumatic disease, collecting information on these pregnancies initially in the Duke Autoimmunity in Pregnancy Registry and Repository, and the MADRA (Maternal Autoimmune Disease Research Alliance) registry and repository. She served on the Core Leadership Team for the inaugural American College of Rheumatology's Reproductive Health Guidelines, published January 2020. Dr. Clowse created www.LupusPregnancy.org and www.ReproRheum.Duke.edu, websites dedicated to improving pregnancy planning and management for patients and rheumatologists.
Dr. Clowse was the founding director of the Duke Lupus Clinic, where she continues to see patients each week and mentor junior faculty researchers. The team has developed a new approach to lupus classification and management and is currently collecting and analyzing patient- and physician-reported measures to better clarify this construct.
Current Appointments & Affiliations
Recent Publications
Pharmacokinetics of Certolizumab Pegol in Pregnancy: Results from the Open-Label CHERISH Study.
Journal Article Rheumatol Ther · June 2026 INTRODUCTION: Control of chronic inflammatory diseases (CIDs) during pregnancy is essential for maternal and foetal health; however, the impact of pregnancy on the pharmacokinetics (PK) of CID therapies is unknown. This study investigated the impact of pre ... Full text Link to item CiteSerum BAFF levels in pregnant patients with systemic lupus erythematosus.
Journal Article Lupus · April 2026 Background/PurposeThe B cell Activating Factor (BAFF) signaling pathway influences rheumatic disease through its role in the selection, maturation, and survival of B cells. Increased BAFF also correlates with hypertension and preeclampsia in pregnant women ... Full text Link to item CiteDifferences in Self-Reported Medication Nonadherence and Its Drivers in Young Adults Versus Older Adults With Systemic Lupus Erythematosus.
Journal Article J Rheumatol · April 1, 2026 OBJECTIVE: Medication adherence poses a challenge for young patients with systemic lupus erythematosus (SLE), who experience more active disease and damage than their older counterparts. This study aimed to quantify the rate of medication nonadherence by a ... Full text Link to item CiteRecent Grants
A multicenter, open-label, prospective study to assess the concentration of Bimekizumab in mature breast milk from mothers receiving treatment with Bimzelx
Clinical TrialPrincipal Investigator · Awarded by UCB Biopharma · 2025 - 20312/3 CTSA K12 Program at Duke University
ResearchMentor · Awarded by National Institutes of Health · 2025 - 2030Advancing Reproductive Rheumatology through Research Mentoring
ResearchPrincipal Investigator · Awarded by National Institute of Arthritis and Musculoskeletal and Skin Diseases · 2024 - 2029View All Grants