An NIH division recently unveiled its Action Plan for Lupus Research report.
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Jamie Barrand | Jan 17, 2016

NIH division unveils Action Plan for Lupus Research report

A new report by the National Institute of Arthritis and Musculoskeletal and Skin Diseases (NIAMS), an arm of the National Institutes of Health (NIH), focuses on ways to increase the scientific understanding of lupus, a systemic autoimmune disease marked by the body’s immune system attacking healthy tissue.

Lupus affects many organs: most frequently, the heart, joints, skin, lungs, blood vessels, liver, kidneys and nervous system.

The report, called the Action Plan for Lupus Research, has been received with enthusiasm by members of the Lupus Foundation of America.

“Current lupus research has placed us at a tipping point. Great progress could occur with increased and dedicated federal research funding efforts, strong partnerships across institutions and additional public and private partnerships,” Dr. Gary Gilkeson, chair of the foundation’s Medical-Scientific Advisory Council (MSAC), said. “The Action Plan for Lupus Research will help to prioritize and increase progress in lupus research, allowing researchers to take full advantage of opportunities to increase understanding of lupus at the molecular level.”

The report encourages partnerships in epidemiology, as well as validation of lupus biomarkers and the gaps in lupus research that are hindering lupus drug development.

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