Lupus research centre fosters collaboration

The Lancet—October 7, 2017

The Lancet published a feature article on the Mary Kirkland Center for Lupus Research at HSS, which covered its history and how the center has focused on lupus research over the past 16 years.The article reported that Katherine Snider and the late Arnold Snider established the center in 2001 and continued to fund it for a decade. It was named after Katherine Snider’s mother, who had lupus.

HSS rheumatologist and a co-director of the center, Jane E. Salmon, MD, said "they saw that we were a group of physicians and scientists intensely committed to caring for and studying patients with lupus, so the center built on what already existed."

"Overall, the center allowed us to advance a number of important initiatives, including my work on type 1 interferon in lupus and [Dr. Salmon’s] on pregnancy outcomes," said HSS physician-in-chief and chief of Rheumatology Mary K. Crow, MD.

Dr. Crow, who is a co-director of the center, said the center’s continued excellence continued existence symbolizes the commitment of HSS investigators to advance lupus research.

HSS rheumatologist and a co-director of the center Michael D. Lockshin, MD said the center focused a greater degree of collaboration among the basic science researchers, the clinical researches and SLE patients.

The article noted that HSS scientist Theresa T. Lu, MD, PhD received Mary Kirkland Center pilot grants to set up her laboratory, which enabled her to try out new ideas in her research.

"In my view, the Kirkland Center has had a very important impact on establishing a strong group of investigators who have provided much of the data that underlie the advances in understanding lupus disease mechanisms and the current increased activity in drug development for lupus patients," said Dr. Crow.

Read the full article at thelancet.com