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George C. Tsokos, MD, selected to receive 2015 Lupus Insight Prize
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The Alliance for Lupus Research, the Lupus Foundation of America and the Lupus Research Institute have announced George C. Tsokos, MD, chief of the rheumatology division at Beth Israel Deaconess Medical Center and professor of medicine at Harvard Medical School, has been selected to receive the third-annual Lupus Insight Prize.
Tsokos plans to use the $200,000 award to study the molecular link between the immune systems and kidney damage related to lupus nephritis, according to a press release. Earlier work by Tsokos and colleagues demonstrated the enzyme calcium calmodulin kinase 4 (CaMK4) may be involved in inflammation in lupus, and Tsokos hopes to develop targeted delivery of drugs to block the action of the enzyme.
George Tsokos
“Our work has potential to significantly improve treatment of lupus nephritis, a condition that can lead to kidney failure, the need for chronic dialysis or kidney transplantation and potentially death,” Tsokos said in the release. “Such a specific administration of a drug targeting only those cells impacted by one enzyme should relieve lupus nephritis symptoms while minimizing debilitating side effects common with current treatment.”
An independent review committee of lupus experts and members of the three non-profit organizations were responsible for selecting the award winner from the submitted nominees.
A formal ceremony will take place on June 24 at the annual meeting of the Federation of Clinical Immunology Societies in San Diego, during which Tsokos will be presented with the award by the three organizations. Registration for the conference is not required to attend the ceremony.
Reference: www.lupusinsightprize.org.