Newswise — DETROIT, November 30, 2016 – American Autoimmune Related Diseases Association (AARDA) announced today its latest Autoimmune Heroes – the 22 Scientific Advisory Board (SAB) members who have loyally and generously donated their time and talent to helping AARDA realize its mission of promoting collaborative research efforts to better understand autoimmunity and discover new autoimmune disease diagnostic tools and treatments these last 25 years.
AARDA particularly recognizes three individuals who, over and above their SAB service, are responsible for creating lasting impacts in the areas of research, collaboration and awareness, including:
•Betty Diamond, M.D., a longtime member of AARDA’s SAB and its current Chair since 2004, is head of the Autoimmune Disease Center at the Feinstein Institute at Northwell Health where her groundbreaking research into the cause and path of lupus is leading to broad impacts on the understanding and treatment of lupus and other autoimmune diseases.
•Robert H. Phillips, Ph.D., a founding member of AARDA’s SAB and current member of the Board of Directors, is a licensed psychologist and founder and director of the Center for Coping which works with individuals and families looking to improve their ability to cope with medical illnesses, including autoimmune diseases. In addition to speaking at a number of AARDA public forums around the United States, he also has authored a number of patient brochures on coping skills.
• Noel Rose, M.D., Ph.D., a founding member of AARDA’s SAB, serving as its first chair and currently as chairman emeritus, is commonly referred to the “Father of Autoimmunity” for his pioneering research that was instrumental in establishing the concept of autoimmune disease. An immunologist, pathologist and molecular microbiologist, Rose long has been associated with Johns Hopkins University where he created and directed its Autoimmune Disease Research Center. In addition, he has speaking at dozens of AARDA public forums over the years, Rose also mentors and nurtures the next generation of autoimmune researchers in the U.S. and abroad.
Part of its yearlong 25th anniversary celebration, AARDA’s #AutoimmuneHeroes campaign recognizes the work of individuals and organizations that have advanced the autoimmune disease agenda in the areas of research, patient safety, advocacy, public education and awareness, service and volunteerism, among others.
“For 25 years, AARDA has been privileged to work with many of the world’s foremost autoimmune disease researchers and clinicians who comprise our Scientific Advisory Board,” said Virginia Ladd, founder and executive director, AARDA (@AARDATweets). “Collectively, these individuals are directly responsible for enormous strides that have been made in discovering, diagnosing and treating the 50 million patients who suffer from the 100-plus known autoimmune diseases.”
Each month during its anniversary year, AARDA will be announcing its #AutoimmuneHeroes. Over the last 25 years, these heroes – both individuals and organizations – have proved critical to helping AARDA become the national organization it is today, while positively impacting the lives of the 50 million Americans with AD and their families.
In addition, AARDA also launched this year its #25for25 fundraising campaign. It invites individuals and organizations the world over to recognize AARDA’s achievements on behalf of people with autoimmune disease and support its work going forward by donating $25 to the organization (www.aarda.org).
About American Autoimmune Related Diseases AssociationCelebrating its 25th anniversary, American Autoimmune Related Diseases Association (AARDA) is the nation's only non-profit organization dedicated to bringing a national focus to autoimmunity as a category of disease and a major women's health issue, and promoting a collaborative research effort in order to find better treatments and a cure for all autoimmune diseases. For more information, please visit www.aarda.org.
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PROFILES – November 2016 Autoimmune Heroes
American Autoimmune Related Diseases Association Salutes
Autoimmune Hero Betty Diamond, M.D., in recognition for her…
•leading groundbreaking research into the cause and path of anti-DNA autoantibodies in systemic lupus erythematosus, resulting in findings with a broad impact on understanding and treating lupus and other autoimmune disease. •serving 14 years as a member of AARDA’s Scientific Advisory Board and as Chairperson since 2004.•lending her time and expertise to journalists working on stories about autoimmune disease, from research breakthroughs to new treatments options.
Currently Head of the Autoimmune Disease Center at the Feinstein Institute for Medical Research at Northwell Health, Dr. Diamond’s research has focused on the induction and pathogenicity of anti-DNA antibodies in Systemic Lupus Erythematosus. She showed that somatic mutation of immunoglobulin genes can generate autoantibodies in mice and humans, making the germinal center a focus in disease pathogenesis. Her laboratory has also demonstrated that a subset of anti-DNA antibodies cross-reacts with the NMDA receptor. These antibodies can mediate neuronal apoptosis in the hippocampus leading to a memory deficit or in the amygdala leading to a behavioral alteration. Showing that autoantibodies can cause aspects of neuropsychiatric lupus and creating a paradigm for antibody-mediated changes in brain function in many conditions.
She received the Outstanding Investigator Award of the ACR in 2001, the Lee Howley Award from the Arthritis Foundation in 2002, and the Recognition Award from the National Association of MD-PhD Programs in 2004 and was elected to the Institute of Medicine in 2006. She is an elected fellow of the AAAS. She has served on the Scientific Council of NIAMS and the Board of Directors of the American College of Rheumatology. She is a past President of the American Association of Immunologists.
“Since its inception AARDA has been committed to advancing our knowledge of the science of autoimmunity and improving the lives of those with autoimmune disease. The experience of the patient has been the driver for all organizational activities. This commitment by AARDA to patients is at the core of my own commitment to AARDA.” American Autoimmune Related Diseases Association Salutes
Autoimmune Hero Robert H. Phillips, Ph.D., in recognition for his…
•serving as a founding member of AARDA’s Scientific Advisory Board and, more recently, as a member of AARDA’s Board of Directors.•authoring a number of brochures for AARDA on coping skills for autoimmune disease patients and their families and friends.•volunteering his time to speak at numerous public forums across the country to share best practice coping techniques.•helping raise awareness for autoimmune and other chronic illnesses, and sharing his expertise on improving ability to cope with medical illnesses through his long-running nationally audio-streamed radio show “Coping Conversations.”
A licensed psychologist who has been in private practice since 1975, Dr. Phillips is founder and director of the Center for Coping, on Long Island, New York. This unique organization specializes in working with individuals and families who are looking to improve their ability to cope with medical illnesses, stress, family concerns, and other life problems. He has authored more than 35 books and hundreds of articles on coping with physical ailments and other psychological topics, and has spoken on the subject all over the world.
Dr. Phillips has also served on the Board of Directors of the national Lupus Foundation of America and the Nassau Chapter of the American Heart Association, as well as serving on medical advisory boards of a number of other major local and national organizations. For more than 25 years, Dr. Phillips has been the host of the "Coping Conversations" radio show, currently nationally audio streamed (www.CopingConversations.com); shows include interviews with Virginia Ladd and Dr. Noel Rose, among many other celebrities and experts.
"I have been involved with AARDA since its inception, because of the long professional relationship I had with Virginia Ladd. I believed then and now in the formative and ongoing principles of the organization, and its importance in increasing public awareness and advocacy for individuals affected by autoimmune disease. My professional specialty in helping people cope with medical problems creates a beneficial synergy with AARDA for the people they serve."
American Autoimmune Related Diseases Association Salutes
Autoimmune Hero Noel Rose, M.D. and Ph.D., in recognition for his…
•serving as a founding member and the first chair of AARDA’s Scientific Advisory Board•founding and nearly two decades of leadership of the Autoimmune Center at Johns Hopkins University, •mentoring and nurturing of the next generation of autoimmune and other disease researchers in the United States and abroad. •generous volunteering of time to speak at dozens of AARDA public forums all over the United States, helping patients to better understand autoimmunity, the underlying cause of the 100+ autoimmune diseases and the research horizon.
Commonly referred to as the “Father of Autoimmunity,” Dr. Noel Rose is now Chairman Emeritus of AARDA’s Scientific Advisory Board. An immunologist, pathologist, and molecular microbiologist, Dr. Rose long has been associated with Johns Hopkins University, in Baltimore, Maryland, where he has served as professor and Chair of the Department of Immunology and Infectious Diseases, and created and directed its Autoimmune Disease Research Center. He recently retired to Harvard Medical School as a junior faculty member. Dr. Rose’s pioneering research some 50 years ago at Wayne State University, Detroit, Michigan, was instrumental in establishing the concept of autoimmune disease and helped immunologists understand, for the first time, that the immune system was capable of directing a response to healthy tissues and organs of the body, not just to invading foreign viruses and bacteria. He is co-editor of the classic textbook The Autoimmune Diseases, now in its 5th edition. Dr. Rose has published more than 760 articles in peer-reviewed journals, has edited or co-edited some 22 books, and has served as an editorial board member of more than 27 journals. He has served as an autoimmunity expert for the World Health Organization (WHO) and the Institute of Medicine of the National Academy of Sciences. He also served as Chair of the National Institutes of Health (NIH) Autoimmune Diseases Coordinating Committee.
“I have been presented with many awards during my career but this award means the most to me. I often refer to AARDA as the little mouse that roared. It is a small organization that has changed the biomedical world. I am extremely pleased to be involved and will continue to work towards a cure for autoimmune disease patients.”
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