It was a night of learning, sharing and making connections. The 60+ people who came to the psoriasis research update at SBP on February 2 all had something in common: psoriasis has affected their lives in some way.
The event was co-sponsored by SBP and the National Psoriasis Foundation (NPF), and offered patients, patient advocates and even some doctors the opportunity to see and hear how scientists studying autoimmunity are working towards new therapies.
The evening started with behind-the-scenes tours of SBP’s Infectious and Inflammatory Disease Center lab, where scientists shared information and answered questions about their work.
Center director Carl Ware, PhD kicked off the program. Highlights included:
- NPF President and CEO Randy Beranek encouraging those with psoriatic disease to become Citizen Pscientists to link to the first-ever global online research network.
- Patient and Education and Outreach chair Stephanie Waits, who was diagnosed at age 10, telling her story about feeling isolated until she found the NPF community and urging those affected to use their voices to help themselves and others.
- Erik Gilbertson, MD, head of dermatology at Scripps Clinic, discussing new treatments and the needs of patients.
- SBP research assistant professor John Sedy, PhD explaining the research being done in his lab. He is partnering with the pharmaceutical industry to develop new drugs by providing a ‘stop’ signal to the cells that cause psoriatic flare-ups.
Many people with psoriasis suffer in silence. The hope is through events like this, they seek help and realize they are not alone.
For more information about psoriasis, contact the National Psoriasis Foundation.