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Seeding new psoriasis research
From May/June 2006 Psoriasis Advance
The National Psoriasis Foundation has a rich history of awarding research grants. Our seed grant program emphasizes innovative psoriasis or psoriatic arthritis research projects in genetics, immunology or clinical research focused on mechanism of disease. Preliminary data obtained in this initial research can then be used in grant applications to the National Institutes of Health (NIH) to garner further research funding.
For our 2006 grant cycle, the Psoriasis Foundation awarded four $30,000 seed grants to promising researchers. "We offer these seed grants as a way for new ideas to be explored and tested," said Liz Horn, Ph.D., Psoriasis Foundation research director "The grant program is important, because it furthers psoriasis research and also enhances our advocacy strategy by supporting investigators who will likely apply for funding from the NIH."
The Psoriasis Foundation congratulates the 2006 winners!
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Andrew Blauvelt, M.D., a professor at Oregon Health & Science University, received a grant award for his research, titled "The role of IL-23 in the pathogenesis of psoriasis."
"The Psoriasis Foundation grant is helping my laboratory begin work that focuses on a single molecule called interleukin 23, or IL-23. We are trying to understand how and why IL-23, when present in excess amounts in the skin, leads to development of psoriasis," said Dr. Blauvelt. "The exciting part is that we already have drugs that are being studied in clinical trials that block IL-23, and their effects on psoriasis have been dramatic so far."
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| Kristina P. Callis, M.D., an instructor at the University of Utah Health Sciences Center, received a grant award for her research, titled "Identification of psoriasis susceptibility loci in Utah families and individuals stratified by phenotype." Psoriasis has a strong genetic component, but the genetic triggers are not well understood. This project focuses on understanding the complex genetics of psoriasis using the Utah Population Database, a genealogic database in Utah, and the Utah Psoriasis Initiative, a unique resource of genetic material and clinical information from patients in Utah.
"We have preliminary studies that have identified genes that could be contributing to the development of psoriasis and its clinical subtypes, particularly in some of our large Utah families that have many members affected with the disease," said Dr. Callis. "The Psoriasis Foundation grant money will be tremendously helpful to our ongoing investigation of the genetic basis of psoriasis." |
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Shane A. Curran, Ph.D., a post-doctoral fellow at Columbia University, received a grant award for his research, titled "The role in psoriatic arthritis of T-cell co-receptors recognizing stress and inflammation-induced ligands." Little is known about how the immune system attacks and destroys the joints in psoriatic arthritis.
"Using the grant awarded from the Psoriasis Foundation, I will analyze the mechanisms that lead to tissue damage and subsequent joint destruction in this disease," said Dr. Curran. "In particular, I will study how the presence of stress and inflammatory signals in the joint induces our immune system to attack joint cells and to perpetuate inflammation. Understanding the pathways that trigger destruction of joints may lead to better therapeutic targets for psoriatic arthritis." |
| Carl K. Edwards, Ph.D., an associate professor at the University of Colorado at Denver Health Sciences Center, received a grant award for his research, titled "Identification of T-cell cytokine inducing surface molecule (TCISM) in psoriasis."
"Our research is focused on identifying important novel molecules called 'cytokines,' which can be found on the surfaces of cells in the immune system, called T lymphocytes," said Dr. Edwards. "We believe that these molecules help control the inflammatory process which may lead to psoriasis. If we are successful in identifying these molecules, we hope to help develop therapies which may be more selective in decreasing inflammation and hopefully resulting in fewer side effects that are observed with many therapies today." |
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