Lupus Research Alliance (LRA) highlights Jane E. Salmon, MD, rheumatologist at HSS, for her contributions to lupus during Women’s History Month.

Regarding her decision to specialize in lupus research, Dr. Salmon said, “There were so many unknowns in lupus with all its complexity. Here was a disease primarily affecting young women who were no different than me except they had lupus and I didn’t. At the time there wasn’t much emphasis on studying women’s diseases, but I was excited to be able to be a scientific advocate for women with such medical needs.”

Dr. Salmon’s research has focused primarily on preventing lupus-related complications to pregnancy.  She noted, “Early in my career, the LRA jumpstarted my work in discovering the role of inflammation in pregnancy, and having proven my ideas, I was then able to get federal funding to delve further.”

Dr. Salmon is excited to be leading the new IMPACT clinical trial, the first trial to use a biologic therapy to prevent serious complications in high risk pregnancies in women who have lupus and antiphospholipid syndrome (APS).

She is also developing a tool for rheumatologists and obstetricians to identify those women with lupus who are at high risk for pregnancy complications and should be referred to a specialist who is experienced in the type of care they need.

As a member of the LRA Scientific Advisory Board, Dr. Salmon explained, “We are addressing diversity in the scientific workforce, fostering collaborations with other disciplines, investing in the most innovative ideas, and bringing together experts from many fields to focus their ideas on lupus.  In short, the LRA is doing it all!”

Read the full article at Lupusresearch.org.