Attention: You are using an outdated browser, device or you do not have the latest version of JavaScript downloaded and so this website may not work as expected. Please download the latest software or switch device to avoid further issues.
9 Jan 2025 | |
Written by Amandeep Jaspal | |
Community news |
Clinicians |
Clinician scientist Tabitha has received the award for her research into monocyte-specific disease mechanisms in systemic lupus erythematosus (SLE), an autoimmune disease that disproportionally affects young women from ethnic minority groups.
The Wellcome Early-Career Award
The Wellcome Early-Career Award provides funding for early-career researchers to develop innovative projects that will deliver shifts in understanding related to human life, health and wellbeing. During the award, researchers expand their technical skills, as well as their understanding of people management and promoting an inclusive culture. Upon completion, participants are ready to lead their own independent research programme.
Tabitha's research
This award will support Tabitha's research to better understand how monocytes drive kidney inflammation (nephritis) in SLE. Lupus nephritis is the commonest organ threatening manifestation of SLE and, without effective treatment, leads to irreversible kidney failure in up to 30% of patients, committing these young patients to a lifetime of kidney replacement therapy, i.e. dialysis or kidney transplantation. Current medications (typically targeting autoantibody-producing B cells) successfully treat kidney inflammation in fewer than 50% of patients. Targeting monocytes, the key effector cells that drive kidney inflammation and damage in lupus nephritis, may represent a more effective therapeutic strategy.
The focus of Tabitha's project is to characterise the mechanisms by which an SLE-associated haplotype, strongly linked to SLE susceptibility in multiple transancestral GWAS studies, drives disease pathogenesis. The function of the candidate gene at this locus, UHRF1BP1, is not well known, but Tabitha's preliminary work suggests it regulates the type I interferon response in monocytes, a pathway important in SLE pathogenesis. Using clinically relevant experimental conditions and epigenetic analysis/genome editing technologies in primary human monocytes, Tabitha will characterise the role of UHRF1BP1 and assess whether it represents a tractable target for monocyte-directed therapy in lupus nephritis.
The project will be performed collaboratively between the Genetic mechanisms of disease lab at the Crick and the Centre for Inflammatory Disease at Imperial College London.
On being selected for the award, Tabitha said:
It is a privilege to have been selected for an Early Career Award and I am really excited about the potential of this project. It not only represents a critical development opportunity to acquire the training and skills necessary to transition to research independence as a clinician scientist but, more importantly, this work will provide fundamental insights into the mechanisms of kidney inflammation in SLE and help to identify drug targets that will lead to more effective treatments for patients. As a nephrologist who looks after patients with SLE, I have seen firsthand the devastating impact this disease can have on patients, and better treatments are urgently needed.
Please join us in congratulating Tabitha.
We are delighted to announce that Patti Biggs, our Information Services Specialist, has been awarded a Highly Commended Award from the Hidden REF. More...
Congratulations to group leader Alessandro Costa, who has been awarded a Wellcome Discovery Award for £3m over eight yea… More...
We are delighted to confirm that David (Dave) Allen will be joining the Crick as our new Director of Translation in Janu… More...
Congratulations to group leader Lucia Prieto-Godino, who has been selected as a European Molecular Biology Organisation … More...