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The Foundation for Sarcoidosis Research (FSR) is pleased to announce the Foundation for Sarcoidosis Research Fellowship Grant for 2021-2023 is being awarded to Dr. Paula Berreras from Johns Hopkins University Hospital for her project, “Discovering pathogens in neurosarcoidosis: using next generation immunological and metagenomic methods for unbiased pathogen detection and antimicrobial antibody profiling.”

Dr. Barreras will be mentored throughout her fellowship by Dr. Carlos Pardo, an internationally renowned sarcoidosis researcher.  Dr. Pardo is the Director of the Neurosarcoidosis Clinic and the Myelitis and Myelopathy Center at Johns Hopkins Medical Center. Dr. Pardo has collaborated extensively with different groups at Johns Hopkins and around the world on studies of the interactions of immune and CNS systems and pathogenic mechanisms in neurological disorders, such as neuroAIDS, multiple sclerosis, encephalitis and others.

The Foundation for Sarcoidosis Research is the leading international nonprofit organization dedicated to the acceleration of sarcoidosis research and the education and support of those living with sarcoidosis. FSR’s Sarcoidosis Research Fellowship program was initiated in 2018 and has helped to support the research of five fellows and build the pipeline for the next generation of sarcoidosis researchers. The FSR Fellowship Grant provides an opportunity for early-stage investigators to develop specialized skills and gain direct experience within the field of sarcoidosis. FSR Fellows also make meaningful contributions toward advancing knowledge of the disease and standard of care for patients. This program is just one of many ways that FSR is working to ensure that medical professionals who are interested in sarcoidosis and related topics have the opportunity to pursue a career in the sarcoidosis space.

FSR has awarded $1.25 million through the FSR Sarcoidosis Research Fellowships and is thrilled to award Dr. Barreras a fellowship in the amount of $150,000 over two-years to continue FSR’s  investment in support of promising early career investigators.

“This year’s FSR Sarcoidosis Research Fellow provides an innovative approach to identifying potential causes of neurosarcoidosis.  FSR is excited to welcome Dr. Barreras to the prestigious group of FSR Sarcoidosis Research Fellows and is confident that this research will lead to important discoveries and new potential avenues for prevention and treatment of sarcoidosis. We are grateful to Mallinckrodt Pharmaceuticals for support of this important effort,” said Mary McGowan, FSR’s Chief Executive Officer.”

“Mallinckrodt Pharmaceuticals is proud to support Dr. Barreras’s important research efforts in sarcoidosis,” said Steve Romano, M.D., Executive Vice President and Chief Scientific Officer of Mallinckrodt. “We are confident that Dr. Barreras’s project will help accelerate our understanding of this disease and its management, which will help lead to better outcomes for patients.”

 

“I would like to thank the Foundation for Sarcoidosis Research for this fellowship award and Mallinckrodt Pharmaceuticals for making funding for the award possible. This award is an amazing opportunity for me to be able to gain training and experience in both the clinical and research aspects of neurological complications of sarcoidosis and contribute to this growing field.

Thanks to this fellowship I will be able to start a career focused on the care of patients with neurosarcoidosis. I will be trained in the management of central and peripheral nervous system involvement of sarcoidosis in the inpatient and outpatient setting to better serve this patient population. I will also be able to do research to better understand how microorganisms interact with the immune system in the development of sarcoidosis and help to find better treatment approaches.

My project titled “Discovering pathogens in neurosarcoidosis: using next generation immunological and metagenomic methods for unbiased pathogen detection and antimicrobial antibody profiling” uses novel technologies to identify genetic material of microorganisms and antibodies against infectious agents in the blood and spinal fluid of patients with neurosarcoidosis to address the critical question of the role of infective agents in the development of sarcoidosis. This project will also use data science and bioinformatics to gain deeper insight into mechanisms of disease progression.  I hope this project helps us understand sarcoidosis better and can help patients living with sarcoidosis.” – Dr. Paula Berreras

 

 

 

About Sarcoidosis

Sarcoidosis is a rare inflammatory disease that causes cells to form clumps called granulomas. When too many granulomas form on an organ, they can interfere with the organ’s function. Sarcoidosis can affect any organ in the body; however, 90 percent of cases impact the lungs.

About the Foundation for Sarcoidosis Research

The Foundation for Sarcoidosis Research is the leading international organization dedicated to finding a cure for sarcoidosis and to improving care for sarcoidosis patients. Since its establishment in 2000, FSR has fostered over $5 million in sarcoidosis-specific research efforts. For more information about FSR visit: stopsarcoidosis.org.

About Mallinckrodt Pharmaceuticals

Mallinckrodt is a global business consisting of multiple wholly owned subsidiaries that develop, manufacture, market and distribute specialty pharmaceutical products and therapies. The company’s Specialty Brands reportable segment’s areas of focus include autoimmune and rare diseases in specialty areas like neurology, rheumatology, nephrology, pulmonology and ophthalmology; immunotherapy and neonatal respiratory critical care therapies; and analgesics. To learn more about Mallinckrodt, visit www.mallinckrodt.com.

 

Read more about FSR small grant opportunities. 

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