FSR grants $300K for 3 ‘innovative’ sarcoidosis research studies
Projects aim to improve sarcoidosis diagnosis, treatment, patient care
The Foundation for Sarcoidosis Research (FSR) has granted $300,000 in funding to support three scientists embarking on research studies that could lead to advancements in the diagnosis or treatment of sarcoidosis, or in patient care.
Each of the three researchers was awarded $100,000 through the FSR’s Pilot Grant program, launched in 2018 as a way to support cutting-edge small-scale or early-stage sarcoidosis research projects. It funds research studies with the potential to make a significant impact in the sarcoidosis field. According to the FSR, this year’s total funding is a 500% increase from last year.
“FSR is committed to advancing innovative research that addresses the unique challenges of sarcoidosis,” Mary McGowan, the FSR’s CEO, said in a foundation press release. “This year’s pilot grant recipients embody the spirit of discovery and determination that is essential to improving patient outcomes.”
McGowan added: “We are honored to support their work, which has the potential to make a profound impact on the lives of those affected by sarcoidosis.”
Award winners using cutting-edge research techniques
In sarcoidosis, small clumps of inflammatory cells called granulomas build up in the body’s tissues. There are several types of the disease, depending on which organs are involved.
For patients, variable symptoms — many of which are seen in other medical conditions — and nonspecific early disease signs can make getting a sarcoidosis diagnosis challenging. Moreover, treatment for this rare disease often broadly aims to suppress the immune system, but therapies specifically designed for sarcoidosis are lacking. That’s in part related to the fact that scientists don’t know exactly what causes it.
Now, a trio of researchers is focused on learning more about what drives sarcoidosis and identifying disease biomarkers that could make it easier to diagnose and treat it appropriately, thus leading to better patient care.
Among the award winners is Satish Sati, PhD, an assistant professor of dermatology at the University of Pennsylvania. Sati’s project, “The Role of Type 1 Innate Lymphoid Cells in Sarcoidosis,” will explore the potential contribution of type 1 innate lymphoid cells, known as ILC1s, in sarcoidosis using cutting-edge research techniques.
This FSR pilot grant represents a crucial stepping stone in our quest to improve sarcoidosis diagnosis and treatment.
In a previous study, Sati and colleagues showed that ILC1s, a type of immune cell, are elevated in sarcoidosis and may play a key role in granuloma formation. Their discovery “opens exciting possibilities for faster diagnosis, better disease monitoring, and potentially new therapeutic strategies,” Sati said.
If ongoing research continues to support a role for ILC1s in sarcoidosis, it could enable scientists to develop the first reliable blood test for diagnosing the disease, according to the release.
“This FSR pilot grant represents a crucial stepping stone in our quest to improve sarcoidosis diagnosis and treatment,” Sati said.
Ultimate goal of research studies is improving sarcoidosis patient outcomes
Claire M. Rice, PhD, an associate professor in neuroinflammation at the University of Bristol in England, is another awardee. Her project, “Cell-free DNA as a Biomarker for Neurosarcoidosis,” is focused on assessing the use of cell-free DNA as a noninvasive biomarker for neurosarcoidosis, in which granulomas form in the nervous system.
Cell-free DNA refers to fragments of DNA that are released from dying cells and circulate in the bloodstream. Because it’s easily detected in bodily fluids, scientists have looked at whether it could serve as a biomarker for a variety of diseases, including cardiac sarcoidosis, where granulomas accumulate in the heart.
Rice will use the FSR funding to explore whether cell-free DNA could offer an easier way to diagnose neurosarcoidosis. Now, such a diagnosis entails a challenging process and requires specialized imaging tests and invasive procedures like brain tissue biopsies.
“This research could contribute to improvements in the diagnostic pathway for people with sarcoidosis affecting the nervous system,” Rice said. “We are excited about the potential to avoid invasive procedures such as brain biopsy and to reduce diagnostic delays.”
The final funded project, “Understanding the Role of Aspergillus nidulans Induced Immune Responses in Sarcoidosis,” will be led by Shaik M. Atif, PhD, an assistant professor of medicine-allergy/clinical immunology at the University of Colorado.
In previous studies, Atif and colleagues uncovered evidence that immune responses to the fungus Aspergillus nudulans might contribute to sarcoidosis development in certain patients. Now, the scientists will use specific mouse models to further study the immune responses triggered by A. nudulans.
“The outcome of these studies will provide unparalleled insights into the [immune-related disease processes] of sarcoidosis, enabling biomarker discovery and therapeutic innovation,” Atif said.
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