Monash recognised as leader in lupus research

Dr Champa Nataraja, Dr Fabien Vincent,
Dr Kathryn Connelly

Monash confirmed its position as a national leader in research at the recent Australian Rheumatology Association (ARA) Annual Scientific Meeting. 

Monash University and Monash Health researchers scooped the basic science free paper, poster, and trainee awards at the Meeting, representing 100 per cent of the annual basic science awards given by the ARA nationally.

Monash Health Rheumatology Fellow and Monash University PhD student Dr Champa Nataraja received the basic science poster award for 2018, and was also nominated for the new investigator award.

Dr Nataraja is investigating a protein called glucocorticoid induced leucine zipper (GILZ) as a potential treatment option for lupus.

“Systemic Lupus Erythematosus (SLE) or lupus is a multi-system autoimmune disease that predominantly affects younger women,” Dr Nataraja said. 

“The treatment of lupus has scarcely changed over the last six decades—glucocorticoids or steroids remain the most prescribed treatment in lupus.”

“As a ‘double edged sword’, the use of these drugs is accompanied by litany of adverse effects that contribute to morbidity and mortality in these patients,” Dr Nataraja said.

Dr Nataraja said there is an urgent need for a drug that mimics the anti-inflammatory effects of steroids but without the negative metabolic effects.

“GILZ may represent such an alternative, potentially leading to improved outcomes for lupus patients,” she said. 

Monash Health colleague, rheumatology registrar Dr Kathryn Connelly, received the prestigious Roche Travelling Scholarship for best Basic Science Presentation by a trainee at the conference.

The former BMedSc(Hons) student at the School of Clinical Sciences at Monash Health (SCS) is investigating how levels of different biological markers vary between patients with lupus, and how these variations relate to changes in their disease activity over time.

“This research will be a platform for better understanding biological pathways in patients with lupus, with the ultimate future goal being the ability to personalise disease monitoring and treatment,” Dr Connelly said.       

Meanwhile, Dr Fabien Vincent, a research fellow in the Rheumatology Research Group, Centre for Inflammatory Diseases, was awarded the Best Basic Science Free Paper for 2018.

“My research focuses on a protein called BAFF, which we showed predicts the presence of kidney disease in some patients suffering from lupus,” Dr Vincent said.

“Unfortunately, no tool is currently available that enables physicians to select patients who could benefit from anti-BAFF therapy”.

  

Dr Vincent said future research would evaluate whether patients with lupus nephritis might benefit from a drug targeting BAFF.

In further recognition, the Australian Scleroderma Interest Group (ASIG)—whose Monash Health members include Dr Joanne Sahhar, Ms. Kathleen Elford, Dr Gene-Siew Ngian, and Dr Lucy Croyle— was awarded the ARA President’s Collaborative Research Prize.

“This highly prestigious prize, awarded triennially, is in recognition of national and international collaborative research efforts spanning not only our own discipline but also those of several other disciplines in medicine,” said Professor Eric Morand, Head of the Monash University Rheumatology Research Group.

“It’s also noteworthy that in the Basic Science award category, three of the six shortlisted papers were from Monash, including that of SCS PhD candidate Dr Melissa Northcott.”

“All these lean to some extent on the Monash Lupus research framework lead by Dr Alberta Hoi and supported by Dr Rangi Kandane and Monash Health nurse Ms Sue Morton,” Professor Morand said.

Professor Morand extends his sincere congratulations to all on this national level achievement.

“This is a very proud achievement for the team, and a proud day for me,” he said. 

Monash lupus research receives donation from Lupus Victoria

A generous donation from Lupus Victoria will fund a Monash University PhD scholarship, enabling vital research into lupus.

Lupus Victoria, a charity supporting research into systemic lupus erythematosus, or lupus, has donated $26,000 to the School of Clinical Sciences at Monash Health (SCS), directly supporting the Kim Jolly Lupus Research Fund Scholarship.

PhD student and Monash Health Rheumatology Fellow Dr Champa Nataraja is the first recipient of the scholarship—her research aiming to improve outcomes for patients with lupus.

“Lupus is a chronic, multi-system autoimmune disease affecting at least 5 million people worldwide, with the majority being women of childbearing age,” Dr Nataraja said.

“Over 70 per cent of patients with lupus are typically treated with glucocorticoids (GC) due to their broad anti-inflammatory effect, however, despite their effectiveness, the use of these drugs is accompanied by a litany of serious adverse effects that contribute to increased morbidity and mortality.”

Dr Nataraja said there is a critical need for alternative therapies to GC that have similar anti-inflammatory effects but without the negative metabolic side-effects.

Under the supervision of Dr Sarah Jones and Professor Eric Morand from the Lupus and Arthritis Research Group, Dr Nataraja is investigating glucocorticoid-induced leucine zipper (GILZ), a protein induced by GC that may lead to an alternative therapy.

“My PhD will validate GILZ as a therapeutic target in lupus, potentially leading to improved therapies and outcomes for patients,” Dr Nataraja said.

“I feel honoured and privileged to be the first recipient of The Kim Jolly Lupus Research Fund Scholarship and am grateful this scholarship facilitates me to continue with this vital research project.”

Head of the Lupus and Arthritis Research Group Professor Morand said he is honoured to have the continuing relationship with patients and families affected by lupus, who make up Lupus Victoria, and who share our belief that research is the way we will solve this disease.

“Lupus Victoria were supporters of our work from the start and our growth now to national and international prominence in this field would not have happened without their support at the beginning,” Professor Morand said. 

CID Weekly Seminar Series Tuesday 21 Feb

CID Weekly Seminar Series Tuesday 21 February 2017: Mrs Champa Nataraja (Postgraduate student milestone review seminar)

12:00 - 12:30pm, Tuesday 21 February 

Seminar Room 1, TRF Building

Mrs Champa Nataraja

Postgraduate student, Milestone Review - confirmation

Systemic lupus erythematosus (SLE) is a clinically diverse autoimmune disease characterized by the loss of tolerance to nuclear self-antigens and autoantibody production, and type 1 Interferon play a critical role in SLE pathogenesis. The majority of patients with SLE are typically treated with Glucocorticoids (GCs) due to their broad anti-inflammatory effect but result in significant metabolic adverse effects that contribute to increased morbidity and mortality in SLE.There is a critical need for alternative therapies to glucocorticoids that can exert similar anti-inflammatory effects, such as inhibition of type I interferon production, but without causing the metabolic adverse effects of GC. GILZ (Glucocorticoid-induced leucine zipper), a GC-inducible protein, may represent such an alternative. Thus, I aim to determine that GILZ regulates type 1 IFN production and is metabolically inert distinct from GCs. This work will validate GILZ as a therapeutic target in SLE and potentially lead to a therapy reducing dependence on GC in SLE treatment.

A light lunch is served prior to the seminar at 11:45am in the seminar room foyer, level 2, TRF Building.

Further information, including the link to add the seminar series to your google calendar, is available from CID Weekly Seminar Series website [http://www.med.monash.edu.au/scs/medicine/cid/seminar-series.html]