WHITTEMORE PETERSON INSTITUTE FORNEURO IMMUNE DISEASES

WPI’s research goal is to understand the pathophysiology of chronic immune and autoimmune diseases. WPI’s newly published research study titled, Plasmacytoid Dendritic Cells in the Duodenum of Individuals Diagnosed with Myalgic Encephalomyelitis Are Uniquely Immunoreactive to Antibodies to Human Endogenous Retroviral Proteins, describes a potential link between myalgic encephalomyelitis (ME) and processes that are known to be involved in autoimmunity. These findings are similar to findings in other diseases, such as MS and lupus, in which endogenous retroviruses play a role. We believe that by building on the biological associations between ME and other well known diseases, we will continue to discover important answers to all of these diseases, which will lead to effective treatment strategies and improved patient care. Critical to the success of WPI’s research program is the sophisticated Next Generation Sequencing equipment that was acquired jointly with the University of Nevada, Reno and placed in the Nevada Genomics Center. WPI is proud to be able to support the greater community by combining the institute’s efforts and resources with the University’s in order to stay at the forefront of biological research. As part of WPI’s translational research efforts, doctors in the Center for Translational Medicine (CTM) continued to provide individualized medical care in an effort to create a better understanding of complex disease. In addition to supporting the CTM, WPI collaborated with medical experts outside of the institute from such diverse fields as rheumatology, infectious disease, neurology, and immunology. As we move forward, it is important to note how fortunate WPI is to be centrally located between University research laboratories and a busy medical school. Talented, dedicated scientists and research oriented medical students provide a unique opportunity for the institute to grow and prosper. This critical synergy between both institutions promises to yield greater advances in a shorter period of time. While we understand that scientific inquiry requires the use of slow and precise methods, we believe that it is essential that we shorten the time between discovery and more effective patient care.