Lupus Organizations Unite to Stimulate Advances in Lupus Research

Lupus Insight Prize to be awarded to Outstanding Scientist

NEW YORK, Dec. 18, 2013 /PRNewswire-USNewswire/ -- For the second year, the Alliance for Lupus Research (ALR), the Lupus Foundation of America (LFA), and the Lupus Research Institute (LRI) will again join together to encourage scientific advances in lupus research. The Lupus Insight Prize, a novel collaborative initiative among the three organizations, will recognize and honor an outstanding investigator with a documented record of creativity, innovation, and productivity in lupus investigations, and with a high likelihood of generating further advances in the diagnosis and treatment of the disease. Lupus is an unpredictable and sometimes fatal autoimmune disease that affects an estimated 1.5 million Americans. The Lupus Insight Prize will be awarded annually by the sponsoring organizations.

The Request for Nominations will open December 18, 2013, with applications due by February 20, 2014.  The 2014 Prize will be awarded at the Federation of Clinical Immunology Societies (FOCIS) annual meeting on June 25, 2014 by the three organizations.

"Our hope is that the continued collaboration between the Alliance for Lupus Research, the Lupus Foundation of America, and the Lupus Research Institute in the form of the Lupus Insight Prize is strong testimony to the dedication and commitment of these organizations to find a cure for lupus," said Mary K. Crow, M.D., Chair, ALR Scientific Advisory Board, Physician-in-Chief and Chair, Department of Medicine, The Hospital for Special Surgery.  "The Prize encourages innovation. It furthers lupus research and allows for investigators to move the science and understanding of lupus forward," commented Gary S. Gilkeson, M.D., Chair, LFA Medical-Scientific Advisory Council. Peter Lipsky, M.D., LRI Scientific Advisory Board Member and Editor-in-Chief of Arthritis Research and Therapy adds, "This Prize recognizes important novel achievements in any scientific field that might impact lupus, and also provides funds to carry out the experiments that will lead to new insights about lupus and novel therapies for those who need it the most." 

The Lupus Insight Prize recipient will be awarded $200,000 to be used for research dedicated to furthering understanding of the genetic, environmental, molecular, immunologic, or cellular aspects of lupus or its treatment. The Prize must be utilized within three years from the date awarded. 

Lupus Insight Prize nominations will be reviewed by members of the independent Selection Committee, which is comprised of leading lupus scientific leaders from across the country and representatives of the three funding lupus organizations. The Selection Committee will review nominations and award the Prize based on several criteria, including academic achievements, creativity, insight, and potential for future advances that will improve the lives of people with lupus.

Nominations are open to investigators of any age or rank affiliated with an academic, biomedical, research, or government institution in the United States. Nominations will not be accepted for investigators working in the biotechnology or pharmaceutical industries. Additionally, nominees may not already possess a grant award to pursue the aims described in the Research Narrative. Co-investigators or teams of investigators are not eligible for the Lupus Insight Prize.

Instructions on how to submit a nomination for the Lupus Insight Prize and the complete guidelines are available at www.LupusInsightPrize.org. Nominators and Candidates should work together to prepare each Candidate's Letter of Nomination for The Lupus Insight Prize. Nominations of basic, clinical, and translational scientists will be considered. The Nominator should submit a two-page Letter of Nomination, describing the worthiness, expertise and achievements of the Candidate and specifically focus on the unique insight generated by the Candidate that might have an impact on advancing the future of lupus research. The Letter of Nomination should clearly state the insight for which the candidate is being nominated.  The full application must be submitted no later than February 20, 2014 at 5 p.m. ET.

The Prize recipient will be announced and honored publicly in June of 2014 in a ceremony at the FOCIS 2014 Annual Meeting in Chicago, IL. This ceremony will include an opportunity for the award recipient to share plans about his/her lupus research. Details about the reception honoring the Prize recipient will be posted to www.LupusInsightPrize.org in the coming months.

About Lupus
Lupus is a chronic autoimmune disease that causes inflammation and tissue damage to any organ system in the body.  The health effects of lupus include heart attacks, strokes, seizures, organ failure, and possible death.  An estimated 1.5 million Americans and at least five million people worldwide have a form of lupus. 

About the Funding Organizations
For more information about the Alliance for Lupus Research, visit www.lupusresearch.org.
For more information about the Lupus Foundation of America, visit www.lupus.org.
For more information about the Lupus Research Institute, visit www.lupusresearchinstitute.org.

SOURCE Alliance for Lupus Research