Philadelphia Tri-State Chapter

Research

A robust medical research effort is essential to find the causes of lupus, develop more effective treatments, and eventually cure the disease.

Research

 
In partnership with the Lupus Foundation of America and its network of chapters, the Lupus Foundation of America, Philadelphia Tri-State Chapter is committed to accelerating the pace of medical discovery in lupus. Since the primary sponsors of medical research on lupus are the federal government, biotechnology and pharmaceutical companies, the LFA continues to expand efforts to stimulate increased public and private support of research on lupus.

In addition to these efforts, the LFA, Philadelphia Tri-State Chapter contributes to the LFA’s Five-Year Research Support Program and funds other local projects including student summer research projects through the Goldie Simon Preceptorship Awards Program.

Goldie Simon Preceptorship Award

Named in honor of Goldie Simon, President Emeritus and founder of the former LFA, Philadelphia Chapter, the purpose of the Goldie Simon Preceptorship Awards Program is to foster an interest in lupus in the areas of basic, clinical or psychosocial research under the supervision of an established investigator.

2009 Goldie Simon Preceptorship Award Recipients:

Alexis Sharpe
University of Pennsylvania
Circulating Endothelial Progenitor Cells and Atherosclerosis in SLE
Preceptor: Joan VonFeldt, MD, MSEd
 
Adam Nabatian
University of Pennsylvania
Preceptor: Victoria Werth, MD

Olivia Perng
The Wistar Institute
The Role of Antiviral Immune Responses in Prompting the Development of Autoimmunity in Genetically Susceptible Mice
Preceptor: Andrew Caton, Ph.D.
 
Neda Nikbakht
Thomas Jefferson University
Role of BAFF in Regulation of Antibody Medicated Autoimmunity
Preceptor: Timothy Manser, Ph.D.

Emily Xue
University of Pennsylvania
Regulation of Anti-DNA B Cells in Old Mice
Preceptor: Eline Luning Prak, MD, Ph.D.

Jessica Kim
University of Pennsylvania
Chondroitin Sulfate Glycosaminoglycans in Cutaneous Lupus Erythematosus and UVB-Irradiation
Preceptor: Victoria Werth, MD
 
Michael Oropallo
University of Pennsylvania
The Role of BLyS in the Activation and Survival of Potentially Pathogenic Rheumatoid Factor Producing B Cell
Preceptor: Michael Cancro, MD, Ph.D.
 

Other Locally Funded Projects:

With the support of the PA Department of Health, the LFA, Philadelphia Tri-State Chapter provided funding to Victoria Werth, M.D., for her project entitled Validation of a Cutaneous Lupus Activity and Severity Index (CLASI) Tool for Rheumatologists.

The Lupus Foundation of America Research Program