Lupus Foundation of America Awards Grants to Six Young Scientists Contributing to Lupus Research

WASHINGTON, May 29, 2024 /PRNewswire/ -- The Lupus Foundation of America is pleased to announce six recipients of the 2024 Gina M. Finzi Memorial Student Summer Fellowship Program. This fellowship pairs undergraduate, graduate, and medical students with experienced mentors to guide them in their lupus research efforts. The goal of the program is to cultivate interest in lupus research amongst young scientists, ultimately growing the next generation of lupus experts. The 2024 Finzi Fellowship Awardees will focus on important areas of lupus research including lupus nephritis, environmental factors affecting gene expression, approaches to improving physical activity in lupus, brain injury in childhood lupus, and adoption of natural antifungal immunity in the kidney for the development of lupus nephritis and antifungal therapies.

"The Gina M. Finzi Memorial Student Summer Fellowship Program reinforces to the student the importance of their work in understanding lupus and how this impacts care of patients with this disease," shared Joseph Craft, MD, Paul B. Beeson Professor of Medicine and Professor of Immunobiology, Yale School of Medicine and 2024 Finzi Grantee Mentor. "It also strengthens the student's commitment to pursuing a career in care and treatment of patients, and investigating cause and treatments for lupus."

Throughout the program, Finzi grantees are mentored by an experienced lupus researcher who is dedicated to their work and growth as a scientist. This mentorship component is crucial to the program as it helps ensure young scientists receive support and counsel as they chart  their own path in lupus research.

The Gina M. Finzi Memorial Student Summer Fellowship Program, established in 1984, was created to honor Gina M. Finzi, the late daughter of former Lupus Foundation of America President Sergio Finzi, PhD. Former grantees have gone on to become distinguished lupus experts, leading novel and innovative lupus research.

"The only way to ensure breakthroughs in lupus treatment and care is to invest in the next generation of promising scientists," shared Joy Buie, Ph.D, MSCR, RN, Vice President of Research at Lupus Foundation of America. "The Lupus Foundation of America's Gina M. Finzi Memorial Student Fellowship Program highlights our commitment to nurturing those that will transform the future of lupus research. The program doesn't just stop at funding the research of these young scientists, but also invests in their development and personal goals."

The grantees' study will contribute to a variety of crucial areas within lupus research:

Jafar Al Souz
Yale School of Medicine
Project Title: Lymphoid and Kidney-infiltrating CD8 T Cells in Lupus Nephritis
Mentor: Joseph Craft, MD

Kierra Franklin
Emory University & Georgia Tech Wallace H. Coulter Department of Biomedical Engineering
Project Title: Determining the Impact of MeCP2/DNMT1 Imbalance in Epigenetic Dysregulation
Mentor: Karmella Haynes, PhD

Chun-Chen Lin
The Regents of the University of Michigan
Project Title: Improving Measurement and Identifying Predictors of Activity and Function
Mentor: Dominique Kinnett-Hopkins, PhD

Alberto Nordmann-Gomes
Instituto Nacional de Ciencias Médicas y Nutrición Salvador Zubirán
Project Title: Lupus Nephritis Guidelines: Evidence Gaps and Underrepresented Groups
Mentor: Juan M. Mejia-Vilet, MD, MSc, PhD

Ganesh Ramanathan
Hospital for Sick Children, Toronto
Project Title: Brain Injury and Inflammation in Childhood-onset Systemic Lupus Erythematosus
Mentor: Andrea Knight, MD, MSCE

Andrew Van Horn
Oregon Health & Science University
Project Title: Defining the Role of NOD2 in Autoimmunity and Renal Candida Resistance
Mentor: Ruth Napier, PhD

Learn more about the 2024 Gina M. Finzi Memorial Student Summer Fellowship recipients, here.

About the Lupus Foundation of America
The Lupus Foundation of America is the national force devoted to solving the mystery of lupus, one of the world's cruelest, most unpredictable and devastating diseases, while giving caring support to those who suffer from its brutal impact. Through a comprehensive program of research, education, and advocacy, we lead the fight to improve the quality of life for all people affected by lupus. Learn more about the Lupus Foundation of America at lupus.org. For the latest news and updates, follow us on Twitter and Facebook.

About Lupus
Lupus is an unpredictable and misunderstood autoimmune disease that ravages different parts of the body. It is difficult to diagnose, hard to live with, and a challenge to treat. Lupus is a cruel mystery because it is hidden from view and undefined, has a range of symptoms, hits out of nowhere, and has no known cause and no known cure. Its health effects can range from a skin rash to a heart attack. Lupus is debilitating and destructive, and can be fatal, yet research on lupus remains underfunded relative to its scope and devastation.

Media Contact:
Mike Donnelly
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SOURCE Lupus Foundation of America, Inc.