Michael Jon Barlin Pediatric Lupus Research Program
Lupus in children may develop early and tends to be more severe with multi-organ system involvement. The genetic and hormonal influences in children with lupus may be more amenable to dissection by clearly defined research studies. New diagnostic and prognostic tests, as well as directed therapeutic interventions, are still needed. Early therapeutic intervention may affect the later development of sequellae of disease and therapy as these children become adults.
Research Objectives:
To enhance key understanding of pediatric lupus research issues in order to identify novel, innovative basic/translational/clinical pilot projects to forward lupus research by providing start-up funds to initiate new studies that address:
- The development and validation of pediatric-specific tools (including biomarkers) to measure disease activity, damage, prognosis, and the impact of disease on quality of life in children.
- The development of lupus nephritis assessment and treatment protocols with special attention to age-related issues, including susceptibility to cumulative toxicity of the therapies, and likelihood of response.
- The clinical and biological characterization of atherosclerosis in pediatric SLE, and protocols for its prevention and treatment.
- Further understanding of the genetic contribution to early expression of SLE in affected children.
- Determination of risk factors, pathogenesis, methods of assessment and treatment of impairment in physical (growth, bone mineralization), health disparities, neurocognitive and sexual development in pediatric SLE.
"Biomarkers for Diagnosis, Monitoring and Prognosis in Pediatric SLE"
Joseph Ahearn, M.D.
Associate Professor of Medicine
University of Pittsburgh
Co-Director
Lupus Center for Excellence, Pittsburgh, PA
Lay Abstract:
There is an urgent need for new tests (biomarkers) to help physicians to more accurately 
diagnose, monitor, and foresee future disease complications in children with lupus. This project constitutes a collaboration between the Lupus Centers in Pittsburgh and Cincinnati. Both programs recently have made promising lupus biomarker discoveries. Pittsburgh physician-scientists have discovered abnormal levels of complement proteins on surfaces of circulating blood cells in adult patients with lupus. Cincinnati physician-scientists have discovered biomarkers in the urine that show promise in monitoring kidney disease in children with lupus. This grant will enable both groups to combine discoveries and expertise to further advance this field in developing a panel of biomarker tests that will ultimately be used to improve physicians' diagnosis and care of children with lupus.
"Association Between Polymorphisms in Genes Regulating the IFN-I Pathway, IFN-I Induced Gene Expression and FOXP3 Expression in Pediatric/Adolescent SLE"
Deborah McCurdy, M.D.
Associate Professor of Pediatrics
University of California, Los Angeles, David Geffen School of Medicine
This grant award is provided by the Wallace H. Coulter Foundation, in memory of Michael Jon Barlin
Lay Abstract:
Children and adolescents have more severe lupus than adults and, thus may provide unique insights into its cause. Emerging evidence suggests that Interferon-a, a protein messenger that communicates between cells, is pivotal in the inflammation of lupus. We propose to study 50 pediatric patients with lupus and analyze genes that regulate and are regulated by Interferon-a and correlate this information with disease activity. Future plans include: 1.determine what causes increased Interferon-a activation; and 2.develop laboratory markers for genes that can be used to stratify patients with lupus for therapies targeted at the Interferon-a pathway.
View past recipients of this award
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