Lupus Foundation of America Awards New Research Funding to Address Issues Critical to Lupus Patients
January 5, 2010Research areas include management of the disease in children and teens, improving health outcomes, underlying genetic causes of male lupus, facilitating greater accuracy in the diagnosis of lupus
(January 5, 2010 – Washington, DC) The Lupus Foundation of America, Inc. (LFA) announced today new funding for research grants to address issues of critical importance for people with lupus, including the management of the disease in children and teens, improving health outcomes, the underlying genetic causes of male lupus, facilitating greater accuracy in the diagnosis of lupus, and the development of new, safe, and effective treatments. In addition, the LFA awarded five student fellowships to foster an interest in lupus research, and renewed funding for the Lupus Biomarkers Clinical Consortium, a collaborative initiative that seeks to identify biomarkers that hold promise to facilitate the diagnosis and treatment of lupus.
The LFA National Research Program, Bringing Down the Barriers, is unique because it not only funds basic and clinical research, but also focuses on areas that have been inadequately funded by the federal government, industry, or other organizations. The LFA is the only national organization to focus on pediatric research through its Michael Jon Barlin Pediatric Research Program, which was established with the generous support of the Wallace H. Coulter Foundation in memory of Michael Jon Barlin, who passed away in 2006 at the age of 24 following a long battle with lupus. Other areas of study currently or previously supported by the LFA’s National Research Program include epidemiology, cardiovascular disease, novel pilot approaches, and adult stem cell transplantation.
“More than ever before, this year’s research studies funded through LFA’s National Research Program hold the potential to have an immediate and direct impact on patients and their quality of life,” said Sandra C. Raymond, LFA President and CEO. “For example, the LFA is funding the development of a tool that seeks to ultimately improve the self-management skills of children with lupus, which will aid in their transition to adults, and lead to overall better management of the disease.”
It has been 50 years since the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) approved a drug for lupus. As part of its ongoing commitment to bring down the barriers that have obstructed research on lupus, The LFA and its affiliated chapters have provided nearly $23 million to award more than 400 grants to investigators at approximately 100 leading academic and medical institutions throughout the nation, and to conduct special research initiatives to advance the science and medicine of lupus. the LFA and its affiliated chapters have provided nearly $23 million to award more than 400 grants to investigators at approximately 100 leading academic and medical institutions throughout the nation, and to conduct special research initiatives to advance the science and medicine of lupus. LFA seed grants, made possible through donations from individuals, corporations, foundations, and a nationwide network of LFA chapters, have led to tens of millions of research dollars from other sources, including the federal government. In recent years, the LFA and its advocates have greatly expanded funds for lupus research through grants from state and federal governments, and through private investment from biotechnology and pharmaceutical companies. Additional information about the LFA National Research Program is available from the LFA website.
2010 LFA National Research Program Awards
Diagnostic Criteria
Michelle Petri, M.D., M.P.H.
Professor of Medicine
Co-Director, Hopkins Lupus Pregnancy Center
Johns Hopkins Medical Institutions
"AROSE Study-revision and validation of the American College of Rheumatology (ACR) diagnostic criteria for lupus"
This grant award is provided through a trust created in memory of Stephen and Catherine Pida and with funds contributed by the LFA, Greater Washington Chapter.
Health Outcomes Measures
Meenakshi Jolly, M.D., M.S.
Director, Rush Lupus Clinic
Assistant Professor of Medicine
Rush University Medical Center
“Cross Cultural Spanish Validation of LupusPRO: A Patient Reported Outcome Measure for Lupus”
This grant award is presented in memory of Kassie McMullin Biglow and with funds contributed by the LFA, Illinois Chapter, Central Illinois Branch.
Mid-to-Late Stage Translational Research
Jean M. van Seventer, V.M.D.
Associate Professor of Environmental Health Sciences
Boston University School of Public Health
“Modeling the Effects of Type 1 IFN Blockade Therapy During Various Stages of Systemic Lupus Erythematosus”
This award is made possible through support of the Wallace H. Coulter Foundation, in memory of Michael Jon Barlin.
Male Lupus Research
Bruce Richardson, M.D., Ph.D.
Professor of Medicine
University of Michigan
Genetic/Epigenetic Modeling of Male Lupus Risk
This award is made possible through support of the Wallace H. Coulter Foundation, in memory of Michael Jon Barlin.
Michael Jon Barlin Pediatric Lupus Research Program
The following awards are made possible through support of the Wallace H. Coulter Foundation, in memory of Michael Jon Barlin:
Emily Von Scheven, M.D., M.A.S.
Professor of Clinical Pediatrics
University of California, San Francisco
“Improving Transition Readiness and QOL with a Pediatric Health Passport”
Deborah McCurdy, M.D.
Associate Professor of Pediatrics
University of California, Los Angeles
“Pathways of autoimmunity linking polymorphisms in genes regulating the INF-α pathway, INF-α induced gene expression, and regulatory T-cell expression of FoxP3 in pediatric/adolescent systemic lupus erythematosus”
Lupus Biomarkers Clinical Consortium
The LFA continues to provide efforts to help identify promising biomarkers that may facilitate the diagnosis and treatment of lupus. This year, the LFA is funding seven sites for the Lupus Biomarkers Clinical Consortium. The awardees are as follows:
Michelle Petri, M.D., M.P.H.
Professor of Medicine
Co-Director, Hopkins Lupus Pregnancy Center
Johns Hopkins Medical Institutions
Ellen Ginzler, M.D., M.P.H.
Professor of Medicine
Chief of Rheumatology
SUNY Downstate Medical Center
Diane Kamen, M.D., M.S.C.R.
Assistant Professor of Medicine
Medical University of South Carolina
Kenaz Thomas, M.S., M.B.A.
Associate Research Assistant
Oklahoma Medical Research Foundation
Rosalind Ramsey-Goldman, M.D., Dr.PH.
Professor of Medicine
Northwestern University
S. Sam Lim, M.D., M.P.H.
Assistant Professor of Medicine
Chief of Rheumatology
Emory University
Jill Buyon, M.D.
Professor of Medicine
Associate Director of Division of Rheumatology
New York University Medical Center
Gina M. Finzi Memorial Student Fellowships
This annual fellowship program is a memorial tribute to Gina M. Finzi, the late daughter of former LFA President Emeritus Sergio Finzi, PhD. The goal of this national student research program is to foster an interest among students, in lupus research in the areas of basic, clinical, translational, epidemiological, or behavioral research relevant to lupus under the supervision of an established investigator.
The following student researchers received fellowships in 2009:
Ian Kroll
University of California at Los Angeles (UCLA) David Geffen School of Medicine
“Accelerated Atherosclerosis and Pro-Inflammatory HDK in SLE-prone Mice”
Sean Lavine
New York University School of Medicine
“Cyclooxygenase 2 and Injury in Neonatal Lupus”
Xi Leon Zhao
Winifred Masterson Burke Medical Research Institute
“Putative Mechanism of Neuropsychiatric systemic lupus erythematosus: toxicity of Anti-DNA Anti-NMDAR Antibody”
Maggie Bromberg
Duke University Medical Center
“Psychological and Disease Related Predictors of Sleep in Pediatric SLE”
Tarak Trivedi
University of Chicago
“Analysis of SLE Clinical Characteristics using SLE Susceptibility Genes”
LFA chapters that have provided contributions in support of the National Research Program
- Akron Area Chapter
- Arizona Chapter
- Eastern Virginia Chapter
- Indiana Chapter
- Marcy Zitron Chapter
- Memphis Area Chapter
- Pacific Northwest Chapter
- Piedmont Chapter
- Southeast Florida Chapter
- Winston-Triad Chapter
- Wisconsin Chapter
About the Wallace H. Coulter Foundation
Wallace Henry Coulter was an engineer, inventor, entrepreneur, and visionary. He was co-founder and Chairman of Coulter® Corporation, a worldwide medical diagnostics company, and through his discovery of the Coulter® Principle, is responsible for the current practice of hematology laboratory medicine.
Named for Coulter, the Foundation is dedicated to the advancement of translational research in biomedical engineering with the goal of accelerating the introduction of new technologies into patient care. The Foundation received its first funding in 1999 and since then has worked with colleges, universities, and professional associations that Wallace Coulter was associated with during his lifetime. His values of endless curiosity, continuous learning, teamwork, consideration, and respect for the individual, coupled with the highest level of ethics and integrity, are the cornerstone values of the Wallace H. Coulter Foundation.
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