Immune responses in lupus and how they drive organ damage
Official title: Immune Responses in Lupus
Funded at Yale University · NIH-11450005 · Data updated 2026-11-12
This grant studies how certain immune cells and a key transcription factor family contribute to lupus and kidney injury, to help people with lupus get better treatments.
Quick facts
| Grant type | R01 grant |
|---|---|
| Study type | NIH-funded research |
| Funding institution | Yale University NIH-funded |
| Lab location | 1 site (New Haven, United States) |
| Project start | August 31, 1990 |
| Project end | July 31, 2031 |
| Funding year | 2026 |
| Award (this year) | $673,157 |
| NIH project number | 2R01AR040072-36 |
| Project ID | NIH-11450005 on NIH RePORTER |
Who could benefit from this research
✓Could help
People with systemic lupus erythematosus or those at risk who could contribute samples or participate in future trials.
✕Less likely to help
If the disease pathway is not active in a given individual or the study findings do not translate to a therapy, direct benefit may be limited.
What this research studies
If you have lupus or are at risk, this project aims to understand how B cells and T helper cells interact to make autoimmune antibodies that damage organs. Researchers investigate how AP-1 family proteins influence the development of T helper cells that drive B cell maturation and autoantibody production. The work also looks at how specific immune cells infiltrate the kidneys and cause inflammation, with the goal of linking these processes to tissue damage. By mapping these pathways, the study seeks targets for therapies that could prevent organ injury in lupus patients.
Why it matters
Potential benefit: Better-targeted therapies could reduce kidney damage and other organ injury caused by lupus.
How similar studies have gone: Previous work has shown that Tfh cells and autoantibody production are linked to lupus, with ongoing efforts to translate these findings into treatments.
Where this research is happening
-
Yale University
New Haven, United States Active
Researchers
- Principal investigator: Craft, Joseph Edgar — Yale University
- Study coordinator: Craft, Joseph Edgar
Related research
Other NIH-funded projects on the same topics.
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Understanding how DIS3L2 helps keep RNA in check to help lupus patients
A physician-scientist team is studying how a watchdog molecule for RNA (DIS3L2) may drive lupus-related immune problems, with the goal of uncovering new paths to treatment.
-
Pathogenic T cells in discoid lupus erythematosus
A doctor-scientist at Yale is studying why certain immune T cells cause skin damage in discoid lupus, with the goal of finding ways to reduce scarring and improve health for patients, especially African American women.
-
Glycoprotein urine markers that signal lupus nephritis treatment response
A novel test uses urine glycoprotein patterns to show how well lupus nephritis is responding to standard treatment.
-
Immunostimulatory short non-coding RNAs and lupus
A study in people with lupus looks at tiny RNA pieces that may spark inflammation, to understand if they drive disease activity.
-
Antiviral factors that limit HIV in people with SLE
Researchers at Howard University are studying how immune factors in people with lupus may help limit HIV infection.
-
PTPRS and lupus nephritis: a new target to reduce kidney damage in lupus
Aims to understand how PTPRS contributes to kidney inflammation and scarring in lupus nephritis and explore targeting it to help patients.
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.