We’re proud to share that Dr. Dhruti Chen has been awarded an NIH/NIAID K08 Award for her research project: “Identifying and Targeting Autoantigen-Specific B Cells in ANCA Vasculitis.”
For patients living with ANCA vasculitis, one of the greatest challenges is balancing the fear of relapse with the risks of long-term immunosuppression, such as infections and malignancy. This groundbreaking research tackles the very questions patients often ask:
- “Am I truly in long-term remission?”
- “Can I stop treatment safely?”
- “If I need treatment, is there a way to target only the harmful cells without the heavy toll of side effects?”
Using the unique Glomerular Disease Collaborative Network (GDCN) patient registry and samples, which includes patients in long-term remission off therapy (LTROT), this project will:
- Define what “immunological remission” looks like by studying autoantigen-specific B cells and their role in disease tolerance or relapse.
- Identify biomarkers that could serve as clinical tools to predict who can safely stay off therapy.
- Develop next-generation, targeted nanoparticle therapies designed to selectively remove harmful B cells while minimizing the burden of immunosuppression.
This research signals a major step forward in creating a future of hope and healing for patients with ANCA vasculitis.