National Psoriasis Foundation Awards Research Grants

Six scientists received National Psoriasis Foundation (NPF) research grants totaling $450,000 for projects that aim to discover new treatments and a cure for psoriasis and psoriatic arthritis. Theoharis Theoharides, MD, PhD received a two-year, $200,000 Translational Research Grant to explore how stress contributes to psoriasis and how molecules derived from chamomile might interrupt this psoriasis-stress connection. Additionally, five researchers each received a one-year, $50,000 Discovery Grant for early-stage research to advance basic understanding of psoriasis and psoriatic arthritis: Onur Boyman, MD will explore the role of cytokines, molecules involved in inflammation, and T-cells for their roles in the development of psoriasis; Cong-Qiu Chu, MD, PhD will examine small interfering RNA with hopes to identify potential new topical treatments for mild to moderate psoriasis; Dafna Gladman, MD, FRCPC will identify if psoriasis is passed to offspring more frequently by fathers than mothers, which could transform our understanding of the genetic link and provide tools to help clinicians diagnose and manage these diseases earlier; Matthew Hayden, MD, PhD will investigate how the tumor necrosis factor-alpha and Interleukin 17 molecules work together to promote psoriasis; and Nicole Ward, PhD aims to build on her earlier work revealing a possible link to an enzyme called Kallikrein 6 in early stages of psoriasis.