Monthly Archives: October 2022

APFED Announces Fei Li Kuang as Second HOPE Pilot Grant Award Recipient of 2022

Announcements, APFED Blog, Press Releases, What's New

(Atlanta, GA)— The American Partnership for Eosinophilic Disorders (APFED) is proud to announce that, thanks to the generosity of donors, the organization has awarded a research grant to Fei Li Kuang, MD, PhD, Assistant Professor at Northwestern University Feinberg School of Medicine. Dr. Kuang will receive $100,000 from APFED for a two-year project to examine how blood eosinophils in eosinophilic gastrointestinal disease (EGID) differ from those of other eosinophilic diseases, and how T-cells in EGIDs differ from those in food allergy.

The data gleaned from this study will provide the foundation for developing new non-invasive diagnostic tools for EGIDs and other eosinophil-associated diseases.

“I sincerely appreciate all the hard work that APFED does to support research in and patients with eosinophilic disorders such as HES and EGIDs,” shared Dr. Kuang. “This award will allow my research program to advance our understanding of EGIDS and ultimately improve patient quality of life,  goals that are deeply important to me as these are also my patients.”

This is the second HOPE Pilot Grant APFED has awarded this year, thanks to community support. In July, the organization announced a two-year, $100,000 grant awarded to Dr. Michael Rosenblum at University of California in San Francisco to study the cellular and molecular interaction of skin fibroblasts (cells that are part of the skin’s structure) with eosinophils to determine the causes of disease and its relapse.

Recipients of APFED’s HOPE Pilot Grant award are chosen through a competitive peer-review process, which is how premier scientific funding agencies like the National Institutes of Health ensure top-level research in the field is funded. The grant was established to support researchers as they initiate new, innovative projects relevant to eosinophil-associated diseases that are likely to be impactful.

An ad-hoc committee of volunteer peer reviewers, experts in the field of eosinophil-associated disease research, review and score each proposal APFED receives for funding consideration. This rigorous process helps APFED to identify the best research that will have the biggest impact to best to direct donor dollars.

APFED is grateful for donors and community fundraisers that have supported the HOPE on the Horizon Research Grant Program. The advances toward a better understanding of eosinophil-associated diseases, non-invasive and accurate diagnostics, and therapeutic targets are not possible without the generosity of donations to this program.

About the American Partnership for Eosinophilic Disorders (APFED)

The American Partnership for Eosinophilic Disorders (APFED) is a non-profit organization whose mission is to passionately embrace, support, and improve the lives of patients and families affected by eosinophil-associated diseases through education and awareness, research, support, and advocacy. www.apfed.org

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APFED Announces 2022 NASPGHAN Outstanding EGID Abstract Award Recipients

Announcements, APFED Blog, Press Releases, What's New

Award honors two best-scoring abstracts focused on eosinophilic gastrointestinal disease

(Atlanta, GA)—The American Partnership for Eosinophilic Disorders (APFED) has recognized two outstanding research works at the Annual Meeting of the North American Society for Pediatric Gastroenterology, Hepatology, and Nutrition (NASPGHAN) held October 12-15 in Orlando, Florida. NASPGHAN is the professional society for pediatric gastroenterologists in North America, serving clinical gastroenterologists and scientists from the U.S., Canada, and Mexico.

Two recipients were presented with an Outstanding EGID Abstract Awards at the annual meeting. These awards were established to recognize the best-scoring abstracts on eosinophil-associated gastrointestinal diseases (EGIDs) and the funds help offset travel costs to attend the meeting and present their finding to their peers.

The 2022 NASPGHAN Outstanding EGID Abstract Award recipients are Jessina Thomas, MD, of Arnold Palmer Hospital for Children in Orlando, FL, for her abstract titled, “Monitoring Eosinophilic Esophagitis Disease Activity Using the Blind Esophageal Brushing Method,” and Rethavathi Janarthanam, PhD, of Lurie Children’s Hospital in Chicago, IL, for her abstract titled, “Carboxypeptidase A3 Is Elevated in Mast Cells Spatially Located by Basal Epithelial Cells and Drives Basal Cell Hyperplasia via Loss of Desmoglein-1 in Eosinophilic Esophagitis.”

Dr. Thomas and her team looked at a less invasive alternative to serial endoscopies to monitor changes in patients with eosinophilic esophagitis. The aim of this study was to examine a model using serial blind esophageal brushings (collecting eosinophils using a brush through an NGT) to monitor therapy response through eosinophil-derived neurotoxin (a potential biomarker for inflammation/increased numbers of eosinophils) levels and guide therapy decisions in EoE patients. This study suggests a model in which blind esophageal brushing can be used to monitor therapy response and disease activity in pediatric patients with established EoE.

Dr. Janarthanam’s team studied the role of mast cells in the esophagus to determine their role in eosinophilic esophagitis.  This study is looking at specific chemical signals released by mast cells that affect the function of the epithelial layer of the esophagus. The results of this study led researchers to conclude that one of these chemical signals, CPA3+, is present in active EoE and causes the overgrowth of the cells and loss of barrier integrity.

About the American Partnership for Eosinophilic Disorders (APFED)

The American Partnership for Eosinophilic Disorders (APFED) is a non-profit organization whose mission is to passionately embrace, support, and improve the lives of patients and families affected by eosinophil-associated diseases through education and awareness, research, support, and advocacy. www.apfed.org.

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