Posts by: Joana Fernandes, PhD

Joana Fernandes, PhD

Joana brings more than 8 years of academic research and experience as well as Scientific writing and editing to her role as a Science and Research writer. She also served as a Postdoctoral Researcher at the Center for Neuroscience and Cell Biology in Coimbra, Portugal, where she also received her PhD in Health Science and Technologies, with a specialty in Molecular and Cellular Biology.

January 13, 2017January 13, 2017

Childhood SLE May Be Linked to Eye Conditions That Cause Blindness, Study Finds

News

Childhood-onset systemic lupus erythematosus (cSLE) may be linked to the development of eye problems such as uveitis that can cause blindness, a study says. The research, “Uveitis In Childhood-Onset ... Read more

January 6, 2017January 6, 2017

Early Organ Damage Raises Mortality Risk in SLE Patients, Study Suggests

News

Systemic lupus erythematosus (SLE) patients with signs of organ damage when first hospitalized, even if they don’t have active disease, are likely to have poorer outcomes, researchers in China ... Read more

December 19, 2016December 19, 2016

GSK Applies for Approval of Benlysta, as IV and Injection, as Lupus Treatment in Japan

News

GlaxoSmithKline (GSK) announced that it has filed a New Drug Application with Japan’s regulatory health agency requesting that belimumab — widely known under the brand name Benlysta — be approved ... Read more

December 9, 2016December 9, 2016

FDA Grants Fast-track Status to Neovac’s IFNα Kinoid Vaccine for Lupus

News

The U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) has granted fast-track status to Neovacs’ vaccine IFNα Kinoid, which is being evaluated as a treatment for systemic lupus erythematosus (SLE). The ... Read more

November 23, 2016November 23, 2016

Benlysta Lowers Disease Activity and Eases Fatigue in SLE Patients over Long Term, Trial Finds

News

Prolonged treatment with Benlysta (belimumab) offers safe and effective control of disease activity, improves life quality and eases fatigue in patients with active, autoantibody-positive systemic lupus erythematosus (SLE), according to ... Read more

October 25, 2016October 25, 2016

Lupus Research Alliance Awards Grant to Team Working on Potential Therapies

News

The Lupus Research Alliance awarded a Target Identification in Lupus grant to a team of investigators led by Kerstin Nündel, PhD, of the University of Massachusetts Medical School, to fund ... Read more

October 14, 2016October 14, 2016

Novel Biomarkers May Help Predict Response to Lupus Nephritis Therapy

News

Researchers have identified novel biomarkers for lupus nephritis (LN), a disease that affects several patients with systemic lupus erythematosus (SLE), according to a study published in the journal Arthritis & ... Read more

October 4, 2016October 4, 2016

Foods Rich in the Omega-3 Fatty Acid, DHA, May Work Against Lupus Trigger

News

Consumption of foods rich in docosahexaenoic acid (DHA), an omega-3 fatty acid, can prevent the onset of systemic lupus erythematosus (SLE) and possibly other autoimmune diseases, according to a study ... Read more

September 28, 2016September 28, 2016

Systemic Lupus Erythematosus Linked to Higher Risk of Respiratory Failure

News

Patients with systemic lupus erythematosus (SLE) may be at increased risk of incident respiratory failure, according to a nationwide study by Taiwanese researchers. The study, “Effect of Systemic Lupus ... Read more

September 19, 2016September 19, 2016

Potential Treatment for Thrombotic APS in Lupus Patients Shows Promise in Clinical Trial

News

The results of a Phase 2/3 trial at two hospitals in the U.K. comparing the effectiveness of Xarelto (rivaroxaban) and Coumadin (warfarin) in the treatment of patients with thrombotic antiphospholipid ... Read more