Donate to Illuminate Contact TSF
Visit us on Facebook Visit us on Twitter Visit us on YouTube Visit us on Instagram Visit us on Linkedin Visit us on Tiktok

Choose Your Language:

ANNOUNCEMENT | 2022 TSF GRANT RECIPIENTS

Posted by: The Sumaira Foundation in News & Announcements

December 21, 2022 — The Sumaira Foundation is pleased to announce the first round of awardees of TSF’s 2022 research grants. Congratulations to all the researchers who will each be awarded with $25,000 to initiate their projects!

The Implication of the Microglial Inflammasome in AQP4-IgG-Mediated Astrocytopathy

Principle Investigators | Friedemann Paul, MD, Carmen Infante Duarte, PhD, Veronika E. Neubrand, PhD

Institution | Charité – Universitätsmedizin Berlin (Germany)

Aim 1 | To investigate the involvement of inflammasome in NMOSD, by detecting pyroptosis and the inflammasome effector cytokine IL1β in microglia-mediated astrocytic damage by AQP4-IgG

Aim II | To study whether inhibition of inflammasome and its effectors may protect astrocytes from inflammasome-mediated damage

Award Amount | $25,000


Vascular Disease and Imaging Findings in NMOSD & MOGAD

Principle Investigators | Jacqueline Palace, MD, PhD, Ruth Geraldes, MD, PhD, David Berhanu, MD 

Institution | University of Oxford (UK)

Aim I | Assess the correlation between vascular risk factors and MRI lesion resolution

Aim II | Determine the distribution of MRI lesion resolution across CNS locations associated with vascular risk factors

Aim III | Determine the association between vascular risk factors and other MRI findings

Award Amount | $25,000


Myelin Basic Protein as a Potential Biomarker for MOGAD

Principle Investigator | Sara Mariotto, MD, PhD

Institution | Università di Verona (Italy)

Aim | To develop a novel potential biomarker to measure disease activity and predict outcome in adult patients with MOGAD

Award Amount | $25,000


Frequency and Burdens of Misdiagnosis in NMOSD: National Population-Based Study

Principle Investigator | Stacey Clardy, MD, PhD, Ka-Ho Wong, PhD student, MBA

Institution | University of Utah (US)

Aim I | Determine the frequency of misdiagnosis of NMOSD patients as MS, and the point prevalence of misdiagnosis in different geographic census regions

Aim II | Identify the frequency of utilization of FDA-approved MS therapies in misdiagnosed NMOSD patients

Aim III | Understand the cost of misdiagnosis of NMOSD patients

Award Amount | $25,000


Serum Biomarkers for Relapse Prediction in MOGAD

Principle Investigator | Sebastian Lopez, MD

Institution | Mayo Clinic Florida (US)

Aim I | Develop serological biomarkers to predict relapses in patients with MOGAD

Aim II | Pilot the tolerability of cervical lymph node aspirations in MOGAD patients and their value in MOG-IgG determination

Award Amount | $25,000


NMOSD/MOGAD & Genetic Susceptibility: Differences Between Populations

Principle Investigator | José Rivera, MD, MSc

Institution | National Autonomous University of Mexico (Mexico), National Institute of Neurology and Neurosurgery

Aim I | Establish a biobank between sites in Los Angeles and México City (using epidemiological and socioeconomical data)

Aim II | Include 100 DNA samples (50 from Los Angeles and 50 from México City)

Award Amount | $25,000


Characterizing Genetic Risk Relationships in NMOSD

Principle Investigator | Farren Briggs, PhD

Institution | Case Western Reserve University

Aim I | Characterize the genetic risk component of NMOSD in a multi-ethic population

Aim II | Determine the causal relationships between obesity and vitamin D insufficiency and NMOSD risk

Award Amount | $25,000



Industry Partners

Community Partners

WARNING: Internet Explorer does not support modern web standards. This site may not function correctly on this browser and is best viewed on Chrome, Firefox or Edge browsers. Learn More.