Recipients of the Rheumatoid Arthritis Awards
Monica Schaller, Ph.D.
Scripps Research Institute, La Jolla, CA
2002 Sontag Foundation Fellowship of the Arthritis National Research Foundation
Grant Award: $43,557
-- Marie Curie
About Dr. Schaller's Research:
Autoantibodies to GPI in Rheumatoid Arthritis Pathogenesis
Dr. Schaller is studying GPI (glucose-6-phosphate isomerase), an enzyme present in all cells of the human body. Preliminary studies indicate that anti-GPI antibodies, found in higher levels in the blood of patients with rheumatoid arthritis, may cause rheumatoid arthritis. This study will test this hypothesis as well as study GPI in depth in order to facilitate the testing of compounds to block the disease-causing anti-GPI antibodies, hopefully contributing to the reduction or prevention of rheumatoid arthritis symptoms in humans.
