Why lupus treatments stop helping some people
Project #2 - Banchereau
This project looks at blood immune cells in people with lupus to find why common medicines stop working and to point to new treatment targets.
Quick facts
| Grant type | NIH-funded research |
|---|---|
| Study type | NIH-funded research |
| Funding institution | Weill Medical Coll of Cornell Univ NIH-funded |
| Lab location | 1 site (New York, United States) |
| Project ID | NIH-11182506 on NIH RePORTER |
What this research studies
You would give blood samples and clinical information over time so researchers can track how immune cells change when lupus medicines are started or stop working. The team uses single-cell and long-read RNA sequencing plus lab assays to map which cell types and gene variants are linked to treatment response. They compare patients who respond to standard therapy with those who do not, focusing on plasmablasts, interferon-related signals, and unique RNA isoforms. The aim is to reveal biological reasons for resistance to current care and to identify possible new targets for therapy.
Who could benefit from this research
Good fit: Ideal participants are people with systemic lupus erythematosus (SLE), especially those starting, not responding to, or relapsing on standard treatments, who can provide blood samples and clinical follow-up.
Not a fit: People without lupus or those whose lupus is stably controlled on current therapy are unlikely to get direct benefit from participation.
Why it matters
Potential benefit: If successful, this work could help predict who will stop responding to current lupus treatments and guide development of better, more personalized therapies.
How similar studies have performed: Earlier single-cell studies have revealed interferon and immune cell activity patterns in lupus, but combining longitudinal patient samples with long-read sequencing to pinpoint mechanisms of treatment resistance is relatively new.
Where this research is happening
New York, United States
- Weill Medical Coll of Cornell Univ — New York, United States (Active)
Researchers
- Principal investigator: Pascual, Maria Virginia — Weill Medical Coll of Cornell Univ
- Study coordinator: Pascual, Maria Virginia
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 below.