PORTLAND, Ore. (June 2, 2015)--The National Psoriasis Foundation awarded eight researchers each a one-year, $75,000 Discovery Grant to support the advancement of psoriatic disease research. By gaining a better understanding of the fundamentals of psoriatic disease--what causes psoriasis and psoriatic arthritis and what happens in the body when these diseases are present--scientists can work on better treatments and a cure.
Learn more at http://www.psoriasis.org/grants .
"The goal of our Discovery Grant program is to fund innovative ideas that hold the most promise for improving the lives of people with psoriatic disease," said Michael Siegel, Ph.D., director of research at the National Psoriasis Foundation. "Through early support of these projects, we aim to help scientists gain enough data to compete for long-term funding from the National Institutes of Health and other federal agencies."
The Discovery Grant recipients and their projects are:
A chronic, systemic disease of the immune system, psoriasis is the most common autoimmune disease in the country, affecting up to 7.5 million Americans. It puts people at increased risk for heart disease, heart attack and diabetes, among other health conditions. Up to 30 percent of people with psoriasis develop psoriatic arthritis, an inflammatory disease of the joints and tendons. If left untreated, psoriatic arthritis can be disabling.
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Learn more about the National Psoriasis Foundation research grants at http://www.psoriasis.org/grants .
About the National Psoriasis Foundation
National Psoriasis Foundation (NPF) is the world's largest nonprofit serving those with psoriasis and psoriatic arthritis. Our priority is to provide the information and services people need to take control of their condition, while increasing research to find a cure. In addition to serving more than 2.1 million people annually through our health education and advocacy initiatives, NPF has funded more than $11 million in psoriatic disease research grants and fellowships. Learn more about the Psoriasis Foundation at http://www.psoriasis.org or call 800-723-9166. Follow us on Facebook and Twitter.