LFA Awards An Additional 2 Million Dollars In New Research Grants

Main Category: Lupus
Article Date: 02 Oct 2007 - 2:00 PDT

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The Lupus Foundation of America (LFA) has awarded an additional 2 millions dollars in research grants and fellowships to stimulate important new areas of research to find the causes of and cure for lupus, a disabling and life threatening disease that affects approximately one in 200 Americans.

To continue toward its goal of bringing down the barriers that have obstructed lupus research in the past, the LFA has launched a series of bold new research initiatives in the areas of mid-to-late stage translational research, pediatric/adolescent lupus, and lupus in males. Funds for these initiatives were generously granted to the LFA through the Wallace H. Coulter Foundation in memory of Michael Jon Barlin, who in 2006, at the age of 24, passed away after a long battle with lupus.

Additionally, the LFA National Research Program is supporting studies in adult-stem cell transplantation as a treatment for lupus in people with severe manifestations of the disease, research related to cardiovascular disease in women and African Americans with lupus, novel pilot projects which apply new and innovative approaches to advance lupus research, and initiatives to identify and validate lupus biomarkers. The LFA also awarded five student summer fellowships to foster an interest in the field of lupus research.

Approximately 1.5 million Americans and at least five million world citizens have a form of lupus, a disease which causes the immune system to go awry and attack the body's own tissue and organs, resulting in debilitating and sometimes fatal consequences that include heart attacks, strokes, seizures, and kidney failure.

Since its inception, the LFA has awarded more than 400 grants to research scientists at nearly 100 leading academic and medical institutions throughout the nation. LFA seed grants have led to tens of millions of dollars from other institutions, including the federal government, to allow these researchers to continue their work. In addition to direct support - made possible through donations from individuals, corporations, foundations, and a nationwide network of LFA chapters and support groups - the LFA advocates to greatly expand funds for lupus research through grants from state and federal governments, and through private investment from biotechnology and pharmaceutical companies.

2008 LFA National Research Program Awards

Heart Disease in African American Women with Lupus

Women with lupus have a 5-to-10 times increased risk of cardiovascular disease than do women in the general population. In addition, African American women are three times more likely to get lupus than Caucasian women. For the second year, the LFA has committed significant funds to vital and innovative research program addressing this issue.

James C. Oates, MD
Medical University of South Carolina, Charleston
"Biomarkers of Reactive Nitrogen and Oxygen Stress as Risk Factors for Cardiovascular Disease in African Americans with Lupus"

Lupus Biomarker Identification and Validation

A top priority of the LFA is obtaining approval of new, safe, and effective therapies for lupus. In 2008, the LFA continues its financial support of the Federal Biomarkers Working Group, a collaborative group dedicated to the identification and validation of biomarkers for lupus disease activity. Validated lupus biomarkers will speed clinical studies of potential new lupus therapies and will assist health professionals in monitoring disease activity among patients.

Group members receiving funding are:

- Ellen Ginzler, MD, MPH, State University of New York-Downstate Medical Center, Brooklyn (Coordinating Site)
- Graciela Alarcón, MD , MPH, University of Alabama at Birmingham
- Mary Anne Dooley, MD, MPH, University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill
- Lisa Imundo, MD, Children's Hospital of New York, New York
- Diane Kamen, MD, Medical University of South Carolina, Charleston
- S. Sam Lim, MD, Emory University School of Medicine, Atlanta
- Michelle Petri, MD, MPH, Johns Hopkins Medical Institution, Baltimore
- Rosalind Ramsey-Goldman, MD, DrPH, Northwestern University, Chicago
- Kenaz Thomas, MS, MBA, Oklahoma Medical Research Foundation, Oklahoma City

Pediatric Lupus

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 sequelae of disease and therapy as these children become adults.

Anne M. Stevens, MD, PhD
Children's Hospital and Regional Medical Center, Seattle
"PDLI as a Marker of Disease Activity in Pediatric SLE"

Eyal Muscal, MD
Baylor College of Medicine, Houston
"Cognitive Impairment and White Matter Changes in Pediatric Lupus"

Deborah McCurdy, MD
UCLA, David Geffen School of Medicine
"Association between Polymorphisms in Genes Regulating the IFN-I Pathway, IFN-I Induced Gene Expression and FOXP3 Expression in Pediatric/Adolescent SLE" This award was made possible through support of the Wallace H. Coulter Foundation, in memory of Michael Jon Barlin.

Male Lupus Research

Lupus is oftentimes considered primarily a female disease as this disorder is nearly nine times more common in women of childbearing age compared to males. However, evolving evidence suggests that male lupus patients may have a more explosive onset of disease and that multiplex families with a male lupus member have more severe forms of lupus in all affected family members. Little investigation into the etiology, pathogenesis or therapeutic options for male lupus has occurred or is ongoing. The following award is made possible through support of the Wallace H. Coulter Foundation, in memory of Michael Jon Barlin:

Betty Tsao, PhD
UCLA, David Geffen School of Medicine
"The Role of X - Linked Genes in Risk for Male Lupus"

Mid-to Late Stage Translational Research

The objective of this research is to support mid-to-late stage translational research in order to significantly accelerate the transfer of findings from the laboratory to patients. The following awards were made possible through support of the Wallace H. Coulter Foundation, in memory of Michael Jon Barlin:

Stephen H. Clarke, PhD
University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill
"Autoreactive B Cells in Human Systemic Lupus Erythematosus"

Jean Maguire Van Seventer, VMD
Boston University School of Public Health
"Modeling the Effects of Type 1 IFN Blockade Therapy During Various Stages of SLE"

Adult Stem Cell Transplantation Research

The LFA is dedicated to advancing adult stem cell transplantation research in humans as a treatment for lupus. The following grant awards were made possible through support of the Cooper Family Foundation:

Mariana Kaplan, MD
University of Michigan Health Systems, Ann Arbor
"Mechanisms of Abnormal Phenotype and Function of Bone Marrow Endothelial
Progenitor Stem Cells"

Kenneth Kalunian, MD
University of California, San Diego
"Mechanistic Studies of Type I IFN Gene Expression in SLE and the Role of IKK-related Kinases and Interferon Regulator Factor 3 During and After Reconstitution of the Immune Response Following Non-ablative Therapy and Autologous Hematopoietic Precursor Stem Cell Replacement in Patients with Systemic Lupus Erythematosus"

Novel Pilot Projects in Lupus Research

The LFA in 2006 awarded grants to seven investigators through its bold new Novel Pilot Projects program, which provides start-up funds for innovative studies by new investigators or by established investigators that have not already been funded. These grants are critically important for continued progress in lupus research in the face of shrinking resources from the National Institutes of Health due to federal budget constraints. The seven awardees for 2007-2008 are:

Stephania Gallucci, MD
Children's Hospital of Philadelphia
"Dendritic Cells as Pivotal Players in the Pathogenesis of Lupus Nephritis"
This grant award was made possible by the support of the Louis Berkowitz Family Foundation.

Vikki M. Abrahams, PhD
Yale University School of Medicine, New Haven, Connecticut
"Mechanisms of Antiphospholipid Antibody Induced Pregnancy Complications in Patients with Antiphospholipid Syndrome (APS)"
This grant award was presented in memory of Kassie McMullin Biglow.

Paul J. Utz, MD
Stanford University, Palo Alto, California
"Proteomic Studies in Systemic Lupus Erythematosus"
This grant award was made possible by funds contributed through a trust created in memory of Stephen and Catherine Pida.

Chack-Yung Yu, D.Phil.
The Research Institute at Nationwide Children's Hospital, Columbus, Ohio
"Gene Copy Number Variations as Disease Risk and Severity Factors of Human SLE"

Minoru Satoh, MD, PhD
University of Florida, Gainesville
"Post-translational Modification in Lupus Autoantibody Production"

David S. Pisetsky, MD, PhD
Duke University Medical Center, Durham, North Carolina
"Microparticles in the Pathogenesis of SLE"

Vicki Rubin Kelley, PhD
Brigham and Women's Hospital, Boston
"Colony Stimulating Factor1 in Skin: Promotes Cutaneous and Systemic Lupus"

The Gina Finzi Memorial Student Summer Fellowship Program<br>
This annual fellowship program is a memorial tribute to Gina 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 in lupus among young researchers through support of basic, clinical, or psychosocial research under the supervision of an established investigator. The following student researchers received fellowships in 2007:

James Y. Chen
UCLA, David Geffen School of Medicine
"Immuno-modulatory Defect of Mesenchymal Stem Cells in Lupus"

Gopal Chandrasekharan
University of Oklahoma, Health Sciences Center, Oklahoma City
"The Role of TLR9-Signaling in Active Childhood Systemic Lupus Erythematosus"

Alexandra Cunningham
Emory University School of Medicine, Atlanta, Georgia
"Barriers to Initial Diagnosis and Treatment Among Adult Female African-Americans with SLE in Atlanta"

Andrew Hwang
Brown University, Providence; Brigham and Women's Hospital, Boston
"Evaluation of Internet Information for Persons with Early Symptoms of SLE"

Rajkumar Srikrishnan
University of California, San Diego, School of Medicine
"Autoantibody Microarray Surveys of SLE Families"

About the LFA

The Lupus Foundation of Americas the nation's leading nonprofit, voluntary health organization with a dual mission - to provide support, help, and hope to all people affected by lupus, and to find the causes and cure for lupus through increased public and private sector research funding.

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 is 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.

http://www.lupus.org