08/27/2024 | Press release | Distributed by Public on 08/27/2024 09:20
Grant Will Fund Studies in Lupus Nephritis, Pregnancy Outcomes, the Role of Genetics and Understanding Immune Response
The Lupus Foundation of America is pleased to announce the recipients of the 2024 Gary S. Gilkeson Career Development Award (CDA). The two-year grant supports critical lupus research conducted by early career scientists and provides mentorship to guide their studies and help ensure future growth in the lupus research field.
The 2024 recipients are:
"The Lupus Foundation of America's Gary S. Gilkeson Career Development Award is an incredibly important grant that makes a much needed investment in lupus research and the bright minds of the future," shared Karen H. Costenbader, MD, MPH, Chair of the Lupus Foundation of America's Medical-Scientific Advisory Council. "Because they have the support and mentorship early on, early investigators supported by the Career Development Award continue to go on to make an incredible difference in lupus research, making impactful discoveries - and even starting on the path to becoming future mentors themselves."
Research being conducted by this year's awardees focus on how changes in gut bacteria can contribute to lupus nephritis, improving pregnancy outcomes in women with lupus, the impact of genetics on the risk of lupus development, and understanding immune response in people with lupus. Each grantee works with an established researcher as a mentor.
"Establishing a research career has never been easy, but over time it has become even more challenging and complex. The guidance of an experienced mentor, and even better the guidance from a diverse team of experienced mentors, is critical to the success of new researchers starting out in the field," shared Dr. Diane Kamen, Professor of Medicine at Medical University of South Carolina, one of this year's grantee mentors. "I have witnessed too many passionate, talented trainees plan for careers in lupus clinical research, only to come to the end of their training and face daunting barriers. The Lupus Foundation of America's Gary S. Gilkeson Career Development Award provides financial support for these bright young investigators so they can dedicate sufficient time and effort to focusing and implementing their research plans."
The 2024 Career Development Award recipients will advance lupus research in the following areas of study:
Learn more about the Gary S. Gilkeson Career Development Award and its 2024 grantees, here.