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Lupus is a complex autoimmune disease that can cause damage and inflammation to the skin, brain, joints, lungs, kidneys, and blood vessels. This condition is more common in people of Hispanic, African-American, and Asian-American descent. Yet these voices and experiences are often excluded from medical and scientific conversations on the side of both the patient and the researchers. 

The Lupus Research Alliance created the Diversity in Lupus Research Program to address this gap, improve equity, and support the entrance of diverse, underrepresented, and talented scientists into the research and clinical fields. 

According to News Medical, the Lupus Research Alliance recently announced the five 2023 recipients of the Career Development and Postdoctoral Awards to Promote Diversity in Lupus Research. Four recipients will receive up to $600K over a 4-year period, with one postdoctoral research fellow receiving up to $170K over a 2-year period. 

Getting to Know the Lupus Research Program Recipients

Dr. Alí Duarte-García, MD

An internist and rheumatologist associated with the Mayo Clinic, Dr. Duarte-García’s research aims to evaluate how safe and effective various glucocorticoid treatment regimens are for people living with lupus. He will also explore how racial and ethnic factors change prescription patterns. Ultimately, Dr. Duarte-García hopes to standardize treatment and create more equitable care patterns while simultaneously reducing some of the health burdens associated with glucocorticoid usage. 

Dr. Ekemini Ogbu, MD, MSc

Right now, Dr. Ogbu is the Interim Director of the Multiple Sclerosis and Neuroimmunology Center at Cincinnati Children’s Hospital. She is a board-certified pediatric rheumatologist and physician-scientist. Her work will center around the identification of possible biomarkers. This could help physicians identify strokes in children with lupus compared to other pediatric strokes. Ultimately, this could allow for better monitoring and care. 

Dr. Maria Gutierrez-Arcelus, PhD

In addition to running the Gutierrez-Arcelus Lab, Dr. Gutierrez-Arcelus is Assistant Professor in the Division of Immunology, Department of Pediatrics at Boston Children’s Hospital and Harvard Medical School. Her research will focus on lupus heterogeneity, or how lupus manifests differently in those affected. Is this due to genetic mutations—and if so, how do those mutations disrupt the body? 

Dr. Jessica Williams, MD, MPH

Rheumatology specialist Dr. Williams hopes to underscore the need for improved healthcare accessibility in rural areas. In particular, her work seeks to understand the barriers to care that people with lupus face in rural areas. Further, these barriers to care prevent people from joining research that could advance the understanding of lupus and diverse patient needs. By excluding these individuals from clinical trials, these studies fail to have adequate representation. Through this research, Dr. Williams hopes to find ways to contribute to stronger outreach.

Dr. Shady Younis, PhD 

Unlike his peers, Dr. Younis received the Postdoctoral Award. His research will explore the intersections between lupus and Epstein-Barr virus (EBV). Previous studies have suggested that EBV could play a role in lupus, though the exact mechanisms behind that remain unclear. However, we do know that EBV can alter or affect B cells, a type of immune cell. People with lupus have dysregulated B cells. By studying the molecular alterations of B cells infected by EBV, Dr. Younis hopes to understand how EBV can drive pathogenic cell changes leading to lupus.