2013-2024 Sjögren's Foundation Grant Recipients
*Titles and affiliations are accurate at the time of the award and will not be updated once the award concludes
High Impact Grant
R. Hal Scofield, MD
Professor
Oklahoma Medical Research Foundation
Mechanisms of fatigue in Sjögren’s
View Abstract
Pilot Grants
Jennifer King, MD, PhD
Associate Clinical Professor in Medicine
University of California, Los Angeles
Molecular phenotyping of treatment responsive Sjögren’s patients
View Abstract
Abigail Koppes, PhD
Associate Professor, Chemical Engineering
Northeastern University
Parsing dysautonomia in a dish: Neural exposure to exogenous Sjögren’s patient derived serum
View Abstract
Eiko Yamada, DDS, PhD
Research Fellow
National Institute of Dental and Craniofacial Research
Exploring target cells contributing higher interferon status through cGAS-STING pathway in Sjögren’s disease
View Abstract
Dynamic Grant
Dana DiRenzo, MD, MHS
Assistant Professor in Medicine
University of Pennsylvania
Development of a core outcomes set of domains for Sjögren’s disease
View Abstract
Anat Galor, MD, MSPH
Staff Physician – Miami Veterans Affairs Hospital
Professor of Ophthalmology – Bascom Palmer Eye Institute
University of Miami
Miami, FL
Defining and understanding neurologic manifestations of Sjögren’s based on ocular surface phenotype
View Abstract
Rachael Gordon, MD, PhD
Rheumatology Fellow
University of Pittsburgh
Pittsburgh, PA
Investigating the role of IL-12 in Sjögren’s disease pathogenesis
View Abstract
Chris Lessard, PhD
Associate Member
Oklahoma Medical Research Foundation
Oklahoma City, OK
Expanding our understanding of the heterogeneity and heritability of Sjögren’s in diverse populations
View Abstract
Harim Tavares dos Santos, DDS, PhD
Postdoctoral Fellow
University of Missouri
Columbia, MO
The role of tuft cells in salivary gland immunity
View Abstract
Dysautonomia Grant
The Sjögren’s Foundation is excited to share that in addition to awarding our new Pilot and High Impact grants, a $50,000 grant has been awarded to Dr. Kamal Chémali to study the prevalence of elevated Mycoplasma pneumoniæ titers in Sjögren’s and other autoimmune disorder-associated neuropathic postural orthostatic tachycardia syndrome (neuropathic POTS).
Dr. Chémali, an associate professor of neurology at University Hospitals Cleveland Medical Center, has focused his research and career on autonomic nervous system disorders, small fiber neuropathies (SFN) and autoimmune autonomic neuropathies.
Thomas Grader-Beck, MD
Assistant Professor of Medicine
Johns Hopkins University
Baltimore, MD
Leveraging electronic health record systems to establish a multi-center collaboration platform for quality of care and clinical research in Sjögren’s disease
View Abstract
Tomas Mustelin, MD, PhD
Professor, Division of Rheumatology
University of Washington
Seattle, WA
Pilot study of disease-specific expression modules in Sjögren’s neutrophils
View Abstract
Mohammed Haj Dezfulian, PhD
Research Fellow in Medicine
Brigham and Women’s Hospital, Harvard Medical School
Boston, MA
Mapping the specificity of CD4+ lymphocytes in Sjögren’s disease
View Abstract
Addy Alt-Holland, PhD
Associate Professor
Tufts School of Dental Medicine
Boston, MA
Metabolic profiles of salivary and epidermal biomarkers for Sjögren's diagnosis
View Abstract (PDF - 597 KB)
Cintia S. de Paiva, MD, PhD
Associate Professor
Baylor College of Medicine
Houston, TX
Investigating oral and conjunctival gene transcriptome signature in Sjögren’s at the single cell level
View Abstract (PDF - 595 KB)
Jason H. Melehani, MD, PhD
Clinical Fellow
Stanford University
Stanford, CA
A prospective observational comparison of treatment response in Sjogren’s-related lung diseases to primary idiopathic lung diseases
View Abstract (PDF - 596 KB)
Sara S. McCoy, MD
Assistant Professor
University of Wisconsin
Madison, WI
Comprehensive profiling of Sjögren’s autoantibodies identified from a novel whole peptidome array
View Abstract (PDF - 602 KB)
David T. Wong, DMD, DMSc
Professor & Associate Dean of Research
The Regents of the University of California
Los Angeles, CA
EFIRM Liquid Biopsy for Early Detection of Sjögren's Syndrome and Sicca Patients
View Abstract (PDF - 592 KB)
Seunghee Cha, DDS, PhD
Professor, Director of COAD
University of Florida College of Dentistry
Gainesville, FL
Integrated Transcriptomic Profiling of Recurrent Parotitis in Pediatric Sjögren's Syndrome for Assessment of Mitochondrial RNA Regulators
View Abstract (PDF - 592 KB)
Sharmila Masli, PhD
Associate Professor
Trustees of Boston University
Needham, MA
Tear Biomarkers for Differential Diagnosis of Sjögren's vs. non-Sjögren's Dry Eye
View Abstract (PDF - 591 KB)
Emily Lanzel, DDS, MS
Visiting Assistant Professor
College of Dentistry
University of Iowa
Iowa City, IA
Salivary Biomarkers for Diagnosis of Childhood Sjögren's Syndrome
View Abstract (PDF - 709 KB)
Kristi Koelsch, PhD
Assistant Professor of Research
Dept. of Medicine, College of Medicine
University of Oklahoma Health Sciences Center
Oklahoma City, OK
Salivary Anti-Ro Defines a New Phenotype of Sjögren's Syndrome
View Abstract (PDF - 710 KB)
John Robert Kelly, DDS, MS, DMedSc
Professor
UCONN Health, Reconstructive Sciences
Farmington, CT
Artificial Salivary Gland Dental Implant Development
View Abstract (PDF - 522 KB)
Kimberly Jasmer-Mcdonald, PhD
Postdoctoral Fellow
Department of Biochemistry
University of Missouri
Columbia, MO
P2Y2 Receptor as Therapeutic Target in a Sjögren's Syndrome Mouse Model
View Abstract (PDF - 526 KB)
Melodie Lynn Weller, PhD
Assistant Professor
School of Dentistry
University of Utah
Salt Lake City, UT
The Impact of a Global Increase in Hepatitis Delta Virus (HDV) exposure on the Incidence of Sjögren's Syndrome Diagnosis
View Abstract (PDF - 529 KB)
Yee Ling Wu, PhD
Assistant Professor
Department of Microbiology and Immunology
Loyola University Chicago
Maywood, IL
Genetic and Phenotypic Polymorphisms of Complement C4 in the Pathogenesis of Sjögren's Syndrome
View Abstract (PDF - 524 KB)
Daniela Cihakova, MD, PhD*
Associate Professor of Immunology; Associate Director of Immunology Laboratory
Director of WHO Collaborating Center
Dept. of Pathology
Johns Hopkins University
Baltimore, MD
Epithelial Cells and Innate Lymphoid Cells Collaborative Role in the Pathogenesis of Primary Sjögren's Syndrome
View Abstract (PDF - 598 KB)
Anat Galor, MD MSPH*
Associate Professor of Clinical Ophthalmology
Bascom Palmer Eye Institute, University of Miami
Miami, FL
Fecal Microbiota Transplant (FMT) in Sjögren's Syndrome
View Abstract (PDF - 107 KB)
Danielle Marie Robertson, OD, PhD*
Associate Professor
University of Texas Southwestern Medical Center
Department of Ophthalmology
Dallas, TX
Comparative Structural and Molecular Analysis of Tear and Salivary Derived Exosomes in Sjögren's Syndrome
View Abstract (PDF - 107 KB)
*Signifies grants that were first awarded in 2017 and have been renewed for a second year in 2018
Stergios Katsiougiannis, PhD
Associate Project Scientist
UCLA School of Dentistry
Center for Oral, Head & Neck Oncology Research
Los Angeles, CA
System Analysis of Mouse Models for Sjögren's Syndrome Pathogenesis
View Abstract (PDF - 527 KB)
Xaralabos (Bob) Varelas, PhD
Assistant Professor
Boston University School of Medicine
Department of Biochemistry
Boston, MA
Defining Epithelial Cues Contributing to Sjögren's Syndrome
View Abstract (PDF - 521 KB)
Nancy McNamara, OD, PhD
Associate Professor
University of California, Berkeley
Berkeley, CA
Jes Klarlund, PhD
Emeritus
Pittsburgh, PA
A New Generation of Eye Drops to Treat the Ocular Manifestations of Sjögren's Syndrome
View Abstract (PDF - 527 KB)
Marit Hoeyberg Aure, PhD
Postdoctoral Fellow
Center for Oral Biology
University of Rochester
Rochester, NY
Cell Lineage Analysis in Lacrimal gland Maintenance and Repair
View Abstract (PDF - 98 KB)
Alan Nathaniel Baer, MD
Associate Professor of Medicine
Department of Medicine (Rheumatology)
Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine
Baltimore, MD
Comprehensive Analysis of Antibodies in Sjögren's Using Phage Immunoprecipitation Sequencing
View Abstract (PDF - 251 KB)
Maria C. Edman, PhD*
Research Associate
Department of Pharmacology and Pharmaceutical Services
University of Southern California, School of Pharmacy
Los Angeles, CA
Tear Fluid and Serum Levels of Cathepsin S and its Endogenous Inhibitor Cystatin C as Biomarkers for Sjögren's
View Abstract (PDF - 114 KB)
Markus Hardt, PhD *
Assistant Member of the Staff
Department of Applied Oral Sciences
The Forsyth Insititute
Cambridge, MA
Identification of Proteolytic Profiles Diagnostic of Sjögren's
View Abstract (PDF - 245 KB)
Petros Papagerakis, DDS, PhD
Assistant Professor of Dentistry
Orthodontics & Pediatric Dentistry
Clinical Significance of Circadian Rhythms Disruption in Sjögren's Pathogenesis
View Abstract (PDF - 104 KB)
* Signifies grants that were first awarded in 2015 and have been renewed for a second year in 2016
Ana Paola Cotrim, DDS, PhD
NIDCR – Molecular Physiology Branch, Sjögren’s Syndrome and Salivary Gland Translational Unit
Bethesda, Maryland
Immune-phenotyping and iPSC-related disease modeling in Sjögren's Syndrome
View Abstract (PDF - 515 KB)
Christopher Lessard, PhD
Oklahoma Medical Research Foundation
Oklahoma City, Oklahoma
Validation and Characterization of Long Non-coding RNAs in SS
View Abstract (PDF - 532 KB)
Klaas Max, PhD
Rockefeller University, New York
New York, New York
Sjögren´s Antigens and Their Role in Stress Granule Formation, Apoptosis, RNA-release and Their Contribution Towards Autoimmunity
View Abstract (PDF - 517 KB)
* Signifies grants that were first awarded in 2013 and have been renewed for a second year in 2014
Karsten Gronert, PhD
School of Optometry, Vision Science
Berkeley, California
Amplification of Intrinsic and Protective Ocular Surface Lipid Circuits as Novel Treatment Targets
View Abstract (PDF - 523 KB)
Maria Kukuruzinska, PhD
Department of Molecular & Cell Biology, Boston University
Boston, Massachusetts
Functional Role of the Hippo pathway in Sjögren's Syndrome
View Abstract (PDF - 524 KB)
Seshagiri Rao Nandula, PhD
School of Dentistry, University of Minnesota
Minneapolis, Minnesota
Role of type 1 interferon signaling in the development of Sjögren’s syndrome
View Abstract (PDF - 523 KB)
Ana Paola Cotrim, DDS, PhD
NIDCR – Molecular Physiology Branch, Sjögren’s Syndrome and Salivary Gland Translational Unit
Bethesda, Maryland
Immune-phenotyping and iPSC-related disease modeling in Sjögren's Syndrome
View Abstract (PDF - 515 KB)
Christopher Lessard, PhD
Oklahoma Medical Research Foundation
Oklahoma City, Oklahoma
Validation and Characterization of Long Non-coding RNAs in SS
View Abstract (PDF - 532 KB)
Klaas Max, PhD
Rockefeller University, New York
New York, New York
Sjögren´s Antigens and Their Role in Stress Granule Formation, Apoptosis, RNA-release and Their Contribution Towards Autoimmunity
View Abstract (PDF - 517 KB)