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AIR Research Article Named a Top Read by the Journal of Immunology

Monday, December 6, 2021

The article, "B Cell Activation and Plasma Cell Differentiation Are Promoted by IFN-λ in Systemic Lupus Erythematosus," recently published in the Journal of Immunology by Jennifer Barnas, MD, PhD and colleagues John Looney, MD, Jennifer Anolik, MD, PhD and others has been named a top read by the Journal of Immunology.

Read the article.

Kirsi Jarvinen-Seppo Co-authors Study that Finds Evidence of COVID Antibodies in Moms' Breast Milk

Wednesday, November 10, 2021

Kirsi Jarvinen-Seppo, MD, PhD, associate professor of Pediatrics and Medicine and Chief of Pediatric Allergy and Immunology, and Bridget Young, PhD, assistant professor of Pediatrics, found that moms with disease-acquired immunity produced high levels of Immunoglobulin A antibodies against the virus in breast milk, while vaccine-acquired immunity produced robust Immunoglobulin G antibodies—the first time such evidence has been discovered. Their study appears in JAMA Pediatrics.

AIR Research Presented at National Meeting

Tuesday, November 9, 2021

The AIR Division \was well represented at the ACR Convergence 2021 which was held virtually from November 3rd through the 9th. This meeting highlights the most current research findings as they relate to Rheumatology. Faculty, post-doctoral fellows and research staff presented their research through numerous posters and oral presentations.

Drs. Barnas, Looney and Anolik Publish Findings on B Cell Activation in Lupus

Friday, October 29, 2021

Jennifer Barnas, MD, PhD, John Looney, MD, Jennifer Anolik, MD, PhD and colleagues recently published their paper, entitled, “ B Cell Activation and Plasma Cell Differentiation Are Promoted by IFN-λ in Systemic Lupus Erythematosus,” in the Journal of Immunology. Read the abstract.

John Looney is Editor for The Journal of Allergy and Clinical Immunology

Wednesday, October 27, 2021

John Looney, MD, professor of medicine, is the guest editor for the October 2021 issue of the Journal of Allergy and Clinical Immunology, the official publication of the American Academy of Allergy, Asthma and Immunology. This issue highlights research on JAK inhibitors.

Javier Rangel-Moreno Presenter at Immunology Course

Wednesday, October 13, 2021

Javier Rangel-Moreno, Ph.D. was an international speaker in the third edition of the Intensive Course in Immunology hosted by the Autonomous University of Zacatecas held in May of 2021. In his presentation entitled, “Innate Immune Response, from Basic Concepts to Clinical Relevance,” which was part of the section on mucosal immunity, he shared information about the function of inducible bronchus-associated lymphoid tissue (iBALT) in respiratory immunity.

Jennifer Anolik Named Interim Division Chief of Allergy, Immunology, and Rheumatology

Monday, October 4, 2021

After eight years as division chief of AIR, Christopher Ritchlin, M.D., M.P.H., is stepping down to focus on research, while Jennifer Anolik M.D., Ph.D., assumes the role of interim chief. Anolik also currently serves as associate chair of research and education for the department of Medicine.

Christopher Ritchlin Receives NPF Lifetime Achievement Award

Wednesday, September 29, 2021

Christopher Ritchlin, M.D., M.P.H., professor of Medicine, has received a Lifetime Achievement Award from the National Psoriasis Foundation (NPF). The celebration was part of the 2021 Commit to Cure Gala hosted in New York City on September 9, where Ritchlin’s long history of research and clinical care was honored.

Ritchlin is director of the Clinical Immunology Research Unit and is a member of the Center for Musculoskeletal Research. He has served as division chief of AIR for the past eight years, growing the division in both size and funding. Ritchlin is a founding member of the Group for Research and Assessment of Psoriasis and Psoriatic Arthritis (GRAPPA). Through the NPF, he is co-chair of the COVID-19 Task Force and a member of their scientific advisory committee.

From the Commit to Cure Gala: “It is with great honor that NPF recognizes the lifetime achievements of Dr. Ritchlin with this prestigious award. His efforts for the foundation and his larger contributions to the understanding and advancement of treatment for psoriatic arthritis will resonate for generations to come. His work has had a profound impact on those impacted by psoriatic disease as well as on the NPF community throughout the country.”

Read the NPF press release: NPF Presents Alexa B. Kimball, M.D., MPH and Christopher Ritchlin, M.D., MPH with Lifetime Achievement Award.

Drs. Anolik and Barnas Author Chapter in Comprehensive Reference Textbook on Lupus

Thursday, September 2, 2021

Jennifer Anolik, MD, PhD and Jennifer Barnas, MD, PhD co-authored the chapter entitled, “B-cell Biology, Tolerance and Autoantibodies” in the recently published 6^th edition of Lahita’s Systemic Lupus Erythematosus, a highly regarded reference text for clinical specialists.

Dr. Ocon Studies Glucocorticoid Use and Cardiovascular Events in People with RA

Friday, July 2, 2021

The Annals of Rheumatic Diseases has recently accepted the paper, “Short-term dose and duration-dependent glucocorticoid risk for cardiovascular events in glucocorticoid-naïve patients with rheumatoid arthritis,” which outlines the findings of Anthony Ocon, MD, PhD and colleagues. The paper is currently in press and publication details will be made available.

Javier Rangel-Moreno and Colleagues Receive University Research Award

Monday, May 24, 2021

Gowrishankar Muthukrishnan, PhD, Christopher Beck, MA, PhD, and Javier Rangel-Moreno, PhD were awarded a University Research Award (URA) for their project, "Deciphering immune mechanisms behind exacerbated Staphylococcus aureus bone infection in humanized mice." URA funding is awarded to faculty pursuing new research with the goal of securing future external funding to continue the research.

Drs. Rangel-Moreno and Garcia-Hernandez Present at the Research Seminars in Biological Sciences

Monday, March 29, 2021

Maria de la Luz Garcia-Hernandez, PhD and Javier Rangel-Moreno, PhD were invited speakers at the 2021 Research Seminars in Biological Sciences held in January and organized by the Autonomous University of Zacatecas in Zacatecas, Zacatecas. Mexico. Dr Garcia-Hernandez, in a presentation entitled, "DC-STAMP Regulates Joint Inflammation and Damage in TNFTg mice," shared her evidence for the modulatory role of DC-STAMP in inflammation and bone damage. In his presentation entitled, "Therapeutic Value of the Selective Inhibitors of Nuclear Export in Lupus," Dr. Rangel-Moreno shared his experimental data about the therapeutic value of these agents.

Dr. Jennifer Anolik Presents at the Canadian Arthritis Research Conference

Monday, March 15, 2021

Jennifer Anolik, MD, PhD recently presented updates from the Accelerating Medicines Partnership at the Canadian Arthritis Research Conference held virtually in February 2021. Her presentation was highlighted in the article, "RA Expert Updates Latest Pathologic Findings from Accelerating Medicines Partnership," published in MDedge.

Dr. Javier Rangel-Moreno Discusses COVID-19 Vaccines

Tuesday, February 23, 2021

Javier Rangel-Moreno, PhD was an invited guest of Conciencia Radio Zacatecas in Zacatecas, Mexico to discuss COVID-19 vaccines. The segment, which begins approximately seven minutes into the video, can be viewed in Spanish here.