Exploring how environmental factors influence autoimmune diseases
Official title: Build to LEAD – Building partnerships to Link the Exposome to Autoimmune Disease
Funded at Benaroya Research Inst at Virginia Mason · NIH-10871040 · Data updated 2026-11-12
This study is looking at how things in our environment, like wildfire smoke and viruses, might affect people with autoimmune diseases like rheumatoid arthritis and lupus, and it’s inviting participants to share their health information and samples to help uncover important connections.
Quick facts
| Grant type | R21 grant |
|---|---|
| Study type | NIH-funded research |
| Funding institution | Benaroya Research Inst at Virginia Mason NIH-funded |
| Lab location | 1 site (Seattle, United States) |
| Project start | September 18, 2023 |
| Project end | August 31, 2025 |
| Funding year | 2023 |
| Award (this year) | $492,707 |
| NIH project number | 1R21AR084042-01 |
| Project ID | NIH-10871040 on NIH RePORTER |
Who could benefit from this research
✓Could help
Ideal candidates for this research are individuals diagnosed with rheumatoid arthritis or systemic lupus erythematosus who are willing to participate in data and sample collection.
✕Less likely to help
Patients without autoimmune diseases or those who do not have a history of relevant environmental exposures may not benefit from this research.
What this research studies
This research investigates the impact of environmental exposures, such as wildfire smoke and viruses, on the development and progression of autoimmune diseases like rheumatoid arthritis and systemic lupus erythematosus. By forming partnerships between leading research institutions, the project aims to analyze data from large biorepositories to understand how these exposures correlate with disease severity and flare-ups. Participants may provide samples and clinical data to help researchers identify critical links between the exposome and autoimmune conditions.
Why it matters
Potential benefit: If successful, this research could lead to improved understanding and management of autoimmune diseases, potentially reducing their severity and improving patient outcomes.
How similar studies have gone: Previous research has shown promising results in linking environmental factors to autoimmune diseases, indicating that this approach has potential for significant findings.
Where this research is happening
-
Benaroya Research Inst at Virginia Mason
Seattle, United States Active
Researchers
- Principal investigator: Buckner, Jane Hoyt — Benaroya Research Inst at Virginia Mason
- Study coordinator: Buckner, Jane Hoyt
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About this research
- This is an active NIH-funded research project — typically early-stage science, not a clinical trial accepting patient enrollment.
- Some NIH-funded labs run parallel clinical studies or seek volunteers for related work. To check, contact the principal investigator or institution listed above.
- For full project details, budget, and progress reports, visit the official NIH RePORTER page.