The Lupus Research Alliance (LRA) announces the first-ever recipients of the Translational Bridge Award (TBA).
This award was established this year to accelerate the translation of research into potential treatments and diagnostics for lupus.
Five researchers have been awarded the 2024 Translational Bridge Award to tackle pressing issues, from managing pain and fatigue to developing an alternative to the widely used glucocorticoids.
Providing up to $450,000 over two years, the TBA emerged as a key initiative of LRA’s newly developed Research Roadmap, a research strategy designed to integrate LRA’s efforts across all stages of lupus research, from early discovery through clinical application.
“The new Translational Bridge Award addresses a critical gap in lupus research, enabling scientists to bring their most promising ideas closer to people living with lupus,” says Teodora Staeva, PhD, LRA Vice President and Chief Scientific Officer, in a news release. “Each of the projects selected has the potential to change the way lupus is treated or diagnosed, making a tangible impact on the quality of life for millions.”
The TBA recipients include:
Innovating Pain and Fatigue Management
Cynthia Aranow, MD, The Feinstein Institutes for Medical Research
Dr. Aranow will evaluate the use of a new, non-toxic, non-painful device that stimulates the vagus nerve to reduce pain and fatigue in people with SLE. This device could offer a non-drug solution that people with lupus could eventually use at home.
Transforming Lupus Nephritis Diagnostics
Marcus Clark, MD, The University of Chicago
Dr. Clark will develop an artificial intelligence tool to more precisely identify and classify immune cell states and neighborhoods and distinct structures in existing kidney biopsy samples. This could help doctors better predict which therapies will work best for each patient.
Pioneering Alternatives to Glucocorticoids
Sarah Jones, PhD, Monash University
Associate Professor Jones aims to develop a new treatment that would boost a protein called GILZ (Glucocorticoid-Induced Leucine Zipper), which offers the anti-inflammatory properties of glucocorticoids without their harmful side effects.
Advancing Novel Therapies for Lupus
Timothy Niewold, MD, The Hospital for Special Surgery
Dr. Niewold and his collaborator Vineet Gupta at The University of Texas Medical Branch have developed a first-of-its-kind drug called ONT01, which targets a molecule called ITGAM. He will test ONT01, which has shown promising results in mouse models, in a phase 1b trial to assess its safety in people with lupus. This trial could open the door to a new class of treatments that target lupus at the molecular level.
Unlocking the Mystery of Brain Fog in Lupus
Zahi Touma, MD, PhD, University Health Network
Dr. Touma previously identified two potential blood biomarkers linked to cognitive impairment in people with lupus. This project will validate these biomarkers in a new group of people with lupus, potentially leading to a new diagnostic test for neuropsychiatric lupus and enabling earlier and more accurate detection.
