Christina Laukaitis MD,PhD
Internal Medicine and Medical Genetics (USA)
Christina Laukaitis

Christina Laukaitis is an MD, PhD with board certification in Internal Medicine and Medical Genetics. She completed her PhD at the University of Illinois studying the molecular mechanisms of cell migration in the context of perturbed cell-extracellular matrix interactions. After finishing her MD training at the University of Illinois, she completed residency in Internal Medicine at St. Vincent Hospital in Indianapolis, IN. Her training in Medical Genetics at the University of Washington introduced her to EDS and this practice grew after she joined the faculty at the University of Arizona. In 2021, she returned to Illinois and now practices Clinical Genetics with Carle Health where she is a Clinical Associate Professor with the Carle Illinois College of Medicine and is a member of the Carl R. Woese Institute for Genomic Biology. Her clinical practice and clinical research focus on diagnosing and managing patients with genetic syndromes.
The Laukaitis lab focuses on Ehlers-Danlos syndromes (EDS) and has organized the hEDS GENE study, a major effort to identify genes predicting the hypermobile type of EDS (hEDS). We are now seeking associations between inherited genetic variation using a modified linkage-analysis. In the hEDS ‘Omics study, we are comparing transcriptomic and metabolomic profiles between people with hEDS compared with age- and gender-matched controls. We have a special interest in hypermobility and bleeding. Other group members are studying mouse models of EDS, pregnancy effects, dysautonomia, symptom progression, medical gaslighting, and lived experience.
Locally, we are organizing a multi-disciplinary clinic to care for people with hEDS. With the Ehlers-Danlos Society, I chair the hematology working group and co-organize analysis of the HEDGE study.