Sheffield Teaching Hospitals is the only UK location chosen for an important international research study that could change the way we treat a rare and serious autoimmune condition. The study, called UPSIDE, is the first to look at whether a certain type of stem cell treatment should be used first for a severe form of scleroderma called diffuse cutaneous systemic sclerosis. This disease makes the immune system attack healthy tissues, causing skin to harden, inflammation, and damage to important organs like the heart, lungs, and kidneys. The UPSIDE study is happening at 11 places across Europe, with Sheffield as the only UK location. It will include 60 patients to compare early stem cell treatment with the usual medicine that suppresses the immune system, followed by stem cell treatment if the first medicine doesn’t work. The stem cell treatment involves collecting, storing, and putting back the patient’s own stem cells after strong chemotherapy. This treatment has already shown good results in advanced cases, improving survival and quality of life while reducing skin and lung damage. Researchers hope that using this treatment earlier could lead to even better results. As the trial starts, experts are hopeful about its potential to change how we treat this condition. Dr. John Snowden, a blood and marrow transplant expert at Sheffield Teaching Hospitals, said: ‘This is a major study that could change how we treat this disease. We hope that using stem cell treatment earlier can improve long-term results and reduce the impact of the disease.’ If the study is successful, it could mean that stem cell therapy becomes a standard early treatment for people diagnosed with this serious condition.