Understanding how autoimmune attacks cause myasthenia gravis
Official title: Mechanisms of autoimmunity in myasthenia gravis
Funded at Yale University · NIH-11372042 · Data updated 2026-11-12
Researchers are studying how the immune system mistakenly targets the neuromuscular junction in myasthenia gravis to identify why the disease starts and how it progresses.
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 1, 2015 |
| Project end | August 31, 2027 |
| Funding year | 2026 |
| Award (this year) | $466,529 |
| NIH project number | 5R01AI114780-10 |
| Project ID | NIH-11372042 on NIH RePORTER |
Who could benefit from this research
✓Could help
Patients with myasthenia gravis, especially those with different onset ages (early or late) and thymic involvement, may benefit from advances arising from this research.
✕Less likely to help
People without myasthenia gravis or unrelated autoimmune conditions are unlikely to benefit directly.
What this research studies
Myasthenia gravis is an autoimmune disease that weakens muscles by disrupting signaling between nerves and muscles. This project looks at how antibodies against the acetylcholine receptor, and related immune cells, contribute to different disease subtypes like early-onset and late-onset MG. By examining how these immune components interact in the thymus and other tissues, the study aims to pinpoint why symptoms differ among patients and how onset age influences pathology. The findings could guide more personalized treatment strategies in the future.
Why it matters
Potential benefit: A clearer understanding of MG could lead to more targeted therapies and better ways to predict disease course for patients.
How similar studies have gone: Previous research has linked specific immune mechanisms to MG subtypes, suggesting that targeted insights can improve care, though the exact pathways are complex and still being clarified.
Where this research is happening
-
Yale University
New Haven, United States Active
Researchers
- Principal investigator: O'connor, Kevin C — Yale University
- Study coordinator: O'connor, Kevin C
Related research
Other NIH-funded projects on the same topics.
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Understanding how autoimmunity causes myasthenia gravis
This project looks at why the immune system attacks the nerve-muscle connection in myasthenia gravis and how different patient groups are affected.
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Biological age in myasthenia gravis: guiding who responds to treatment
A patient-friendly look at how a person’s biological age, not just their calendar age, might predict how MG patients respond to treatment and how treatments could even reduce biological aging.
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CapTURE-MG: A patient-friendly MG data toolkit in a common EHR
A multi-site effort to use a streamlined MG toolkit inside the Epic EHR to collect consistent, real-world information about myasthenia gravis from routine care.
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Rare Disease Network for Myasthenia Gravis
A nationwide effort to improve diagnosis, monitoring, and trial readiness for people with myasthenia gravis through biomarker work and better care tools.
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Mechanistically informed deep learning to study autoreactive B cells in Myasthenia Gravis
A study using advanced computer models to find hidden immune-cell signals in people with Myasthenia Gravis, including those who don’t yet show detectable antibodies.
-
Heterogeneity in autoimmune myasthenia gravis: classifying disease variants to guide personalized therapies
This research looks at different forms of myasthenia gravis to understand how unique immune factors drive the disease so doctors can tailor treatments.
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.