Cure JM-Funded Researcher Uncovers New Biomarkers

Cure JM Partner Researcher Uncovers New Biomarkers. Fionnuala McMorrow. University of Bath, UK

With your financial support, Cure JM is proud to have funded Fionnuala McMorrow, a Postgraduate Research Student in the Department of Life Sciences at the University of Bath, to embark on a critical research project while pursuing her Doctor of Philosophy at the University of Bath, United Kingdom.

Through this work, Fionnuala has gained valuable skills that will shape her future in research. We are hopeful she will continue contributing to the field and become a leading figure in the study of juvenile myositis. An important pillar of our mission has been to invest in the next generation of clinicians and researchers, to continue our progress toward a future free of JM.

Key Research Findings:

  1. Understanding New Biomarkers:
    • Fionnuala’s team analyzed blood samples from the UK to investigate two specific biomarkers (anti-CCAR1 and anti-Sp4) recently identified in U.S. patients with JDM and related conditions. They discovered that, in children with JDM, one marker called anti-CCAR1 is as common in the UK as in the U.S. These findings are now being shared with the scientific community.
  2. New Discoveries in JDM Patients:
    • The team also identified new autoantibodies in JDM patients who were previously thought to have none. Autoantibodies are proteins in the blood that help us understand more about the type of myositis a patient has, such as whether it’s likely to affect muscles or skin more and which treatments might be most effective. Some of these newly identified autoantibodies have been linked to other autoimmune diseases, like lupus and systemic sclerosis, but have never been found in JDM before. These findings are crucial for improving diagnosis methods and understanding of the disease.
  3. Advancing Testing Methods:
    • Traditional methods for detecting new autoantibodies are slow and costly. Fionnuala’s research has focused on refining these methods to make these tests faster, more affordable, and more accurate. She is also receiving training in advanced techniques that will help her identify new autoantibodies in JDM, potentially leading to better treatments in the future.  

We hope that with improved testing and a deeper understanding of these myositis-specific autoantibodies, we can enhance the diagnosis and treatment of JDM, ultimately leading to better outcomes for patients.

We are grateful to our community, families, and donors for their generous financial support to make this vital work possible for our patients.

Early Promising Data Presented in Car-T for Myositis

Cabaletta Bio Presents Promising Early Data on CAR-T Therapy for Myositis

We expected to hear promising news about the potential for CAR-T therapy to treat myositis at the Global Conference on Myositis (GCOM).

What we heard was more than promising—it was astounding.

What if I told you that there was a therapy that would “reset” the immune system—virtually eliminating the autoimmune response in myositis that causes inflammation, pain, muscle weakness, and other JM conditions of which we are all too familiar.

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2025 Cure JM Family Conference

We are excited to announce that the Cure JM National Family Conference will be back in 2025! Join us for three days with world-class JM researchers, engaging sessions for all, and social time to connect with new friends. The 15th Annual Cure JM National Family Conference is taking place June 27th -June 29th, 2023, in Chicago, Illinois.

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