RESEARCH  

Is any research being done on lupus?

Research for lupus can be divided into two types that are basic or clinical.  Most lupus research is to be basic in which the scientists attempt to develop or refine the theories being concepts, beliefs and principles of how the body works and how the immune system functions.  The basic research is conducted in a laboratory and generally does not involve human subjects.  Most models are done on animals such as mice with SLE lupus.  Lupus can be examined into its cause and better treatments which are easily investigated.

The clinical research involves humans studies and how they react to certain factors.  This includes testing or applying theories and evaluating their usefulness in solving the clinical problems.

In a typical year there are 200 research summaries listed that pertain to lupus which the American college of rheumatology publishes these summary listings.

There is many ongoing clinical studies involving people with lupus and their families.

There is two broad areas of interest pertaining to clinical research which include testing of new therapies and research to expand our understanding of different aspects of lupus.  There is several studies being done on identifying genes that determine susceptibility to the disease of lupus. 

Lupus research is taking place in both public and private organizations, companies, universities, and colleges as well as the federal government that include the National Institutes of Health, VA, CDC, FDA and the military.  The most federally funded research related to lupus takes place at NIAMS.

The NIAMS is within the National institutes of Health in Bethesda, MD and the research occurs at the center as well as the other major medical centers around the country.

NIAMS announced in 1994 two specialized centers of research with systemic lupus and lupus erythematosus which are the hospital for surgery at Cornell Medical Center in NY and the University of North Carolina in Chapel Hill.  This is a national resource associated with one or more major medical complexes and dedicated to working with NIAMS in furthering the research effort to translate basic research to clinical application is known as a SCORs.  Federally funded research at these centers requires a basic permit and clinical researchers to work together to focus on one disease.

NIAMS in 1996 announced the beginning of the first clinical trial on the safety of estrogen in Lupus erythematosus.  It is known as SELENA which is being funded by NIAMS, the NIH office of research on women’s health and the NIH office of research on minority health.