Press release
Five scientists each receive $50,000 from National Psoriasis Foundation for promising research

PORTLAND, Ore. (April 30, 2009)—The National Psoriasis Foundation has awarded five $50,000, one-year "seed" grants to researchers whose projects have great potential to advance treatments and, ultimately, lead to a cure for psoriasis—one of the most prevalent autoimmune diseases in the country, affecting as many as 7.5 million Americans.

"Forty years ago, psoriasis and psoriatic arthritis research was almost nonexistent," said Lawrence J. Green, M.D., chair of the research committee of the Psoriasis Foundation Board of Trustees. "Today, the Foundation is a driving force for research. These grants are significant, as they bring us one step closer to finding new treatments and a cure."

The Psoriasis Foundation funds seed grants—one-year pilot project grants—to researchers with innovative, early stage ideas. If their research looks promising, the scientists then can obtain longer-term funding to continue their work.

"By providing this level of support, our grantees are able to develop their projects to a higher level that will in turn attract more long-term support from federal sources such as the National Institutes of Health," Green said.

The five researchers and their projects include:

Prachi Agarwal, M.D., of the University of Michigan, will study whether people with psoriasis have an increased risk of heart attacks due to the buildup of atherosclerotic plaques (hardening of the arteries) in their hearts. This knowledge could be used to better determine the connection between psoriasis and heart attacks.

Richard Gallo, M.D., Ph.D., of the University of California-San Diego, will determine if psoriasis is triggered when CAMP, a naturally occurring antibiotic produced by the skin, binds to the body's own DNA. If Dr. Gallo's hypothesis is proven, CAMP may be a new target for treatment.

Annemieke de Jong, Ph.D., from Harvard's Brigham and Women's Hospital, will study whether a molecule called CD1, which is expressed by immune cells in the skin, triggers the body to produce interleukin-22, a factor often associated with psoriasis. A better understanding of this immune pathway may yield clues to new treatments and the disease process.

Yuangang Liu, Ph.D., of Oregon Health and Science University, has discovered that the immune system can increase the production of a skin protein called Trim32. As a consequence, the skin produces CCL20 which triggers the accumulation of psoriasis-inducing immune cells in the skin. This study could provide a basis for developing treatments that target skins cells rather than the immune system.

Nicole Ward, Ph.D., of Case Western Reserve University, will determine the connection between skin inflammation and the risk for heart attacks. Ward and her team will also try to identify who is at risk for developing heart diseases and methods for prevention.

Since its inception in 1968, the Psoriasis Foundation has awarded more than $5 million in grants to researchers with promising projects. This year, the Foundation received 42 grant applications—twice as many as last year. The Foundation's Scientific Peer Review Committee considered 14 of the grants meritorious.

"While the Foundation couldn't fund all 14 of the grants, things are looking up for next year's grant funding," said Bruce Bebo, Jr., Ph.D., Psoriasis Foundation director of research. "With the increased emphasis on research in the Foundation's new five-year strategic plan, we anticipate funding most, if not all, of the meritorious grants next year."

To help the Psoriasis Foundation fund future grants and continue providing support to researchers who are dedicated to finding a cure for psoriatic diseases, the Foundation has created Alyssa's Fund. The fund's goal is to raise $1 million dollars to support five immunology research projects for a two-year period. At least one grant related to psoriatic arthritis will be supported by this fund.

To learn more about the National Psoriasis Foundation seed grant program, visit www.psoriasis.org.

Psoriasis is a noncontagious, genetic disease that results when faulty signals in the immune system prompt skin cells to regenerate too quickly, causing red, scaly lesions that can crack and bleed. It often affects the elbows, knees, scalp and torso but can appear anywhere on the body. As many as 7.5 million Americans have psoriasis, according to the National Institutes of Health. Ten percent to 30 percent of people with psoriasis also develop psoriatic arthritis, an inflammatory disease which causes pain, stiffness and swelling in and around the joints. Psoriasis can affect anyone at any age, including children. There is no cure yet for this lifelong disease.

The National Psoriasis Foundation is the world's largest nonprofit patient advocacy organization dedicated to fighting psoriasis and psoriatic arthritis, and the voice for millions of Americans who are affected by these diseases. Our mission is to find a cure for psoriasis and psoriatic arthritis and to eliminate their devastating effects through research, advocacy and education. For more information, call the Psoriasis Foundation, headquartered in Portland, Ore., at 800.723.9166, or visit www.psoriasis.org.