Recipients of Rosacea Research Grant Awards were announced recently by the National Rosacea Society.
Through the grant program, the National Rosacea Society has awarded funding for three new studies and the continuation of support for two ongoing studies. According to a press release, the grants are part of the organization’s investment in science to increase knowledge and understanding of the causes and other key aspects of rosacea that may lead to improvements in its management, prevention or potential cure.
New grants consisting of $25,000 in rosacea research funding were awarded to the following recipients:
Dr. Luis Garza and colleagues were awarded funding for their research relating to the epigenetic lesions in rosacea. Dr. Garza is an associate professor of dermatology at Johns Hopkins University, Baltimore.
Dr. Wenqing Li for research to clarify how hormone use and hormone levels associated with menopause and during pregnancy may affect the risk of developing rosacea. Dr. Li is an assistant professor of dermatology at Brown University in Providence, R.I.
Dr. Anna Di Nardo and colleagues were awarded funding to continue their studies to determine whether the release of cathelicidin antimicrobial peptides is central to the connection between the nervous system and skin inflammation through the activation of mast cells in rosacea. Dr. Di Nardo is an associate professor of dermatology at the University of California-San Diego.
Continued funding for research
The National Rosacea Society also announced that they will continue to fund the following studies:
Research by Dr. Gideon Smith and colleagues, who are investigating whether individuals with rosacea may be at higher risk for other disorders involving the vascular system such as heart disease and high cholesterol. Dr. Smith is an assistant physician in dermatology at Massachusetts General Hospital in Boston, and an instructor at Harvard University.
An investigation aimed at examining how biochemicals released during stress may increase the number of mast cells, which have been linked to rosacea. This research is being conducted by Dr. Lori Lee Stohl, research associate in dermatology at Weill Cornell Medical School in New York.
“Research supported by the National Rosacea Society has led to important insights into the physiology of the disorder, providing an essential foundation for developing new and better treatments,” said Dr. Martin Steinhoff, chairman of dermatology and director of the Charles Institute of Dermatology, University College in Dublin, Ireland.
“In addition, our growing knowledge is now pointing toward potentially meaningful connections between rosacea and other systemic illnesses,” added Dr. Steinhoff, who is also a member of the National Rosacea Society medical advisory board, which selects research proposals for funding.
Information about applying for the grant
Researchers interested in applying for grants may obtain forms and instructions through the research grants section of the National Rosacea Society website at rosacea.org, or by contacting the National Rosacea Society by email at rosaceas@aol.com or calling 1–888–662–5874.
The deadline for submitting proposals to receive a research grant in 2017 is June 18, 2017.