Lupus | Does our skin hold the answer?

Lupus | Does our skin hold the answer?

14 Jun 2016

In this episode of Arthritis Now, we talk with 2015 ANRF grant recipient, Michelle Kahlenberg, MD, PhD, who is a rheumatologist, researcher, and assistant professor of internal medicine at the University of Michigan. We ask her about her research into the correlation of skin and kidney involvement in Lupus. Research like Dr. Kahlenberg’s provides a better understanding of why Lupus patients flare when exposed to sunlight and how we might treat those flares in the future.

Will new treatments for Lupus be developed?

Collaborating with many researchers and looking at skin and kidney biopsies, Dr. Kahlenberg is isolating a unique cell type that occurs in the skin and kidneys during Lupus flares. Her team is targeting specific reactions in these cell types to develop treatments to halt reactions that lead to Lupus flares.

Listen to the video to hear about this unique cell type that Dr. Kahlenberg’s team has discovered, and why they think targeting it may decrease flares in the 1.5 million Americans who are currently living with Lupus.

CureArthritis.org is the only charity solely focused on supporting research like Dr. Kahlenberg’s and we need your help to find a cure!

See all the latest Arthritis Now episodes at CureArthritis.org/Arthritis-Now