September 24, 2024 — The Lupus Research Alliance (LRA) proudly congratulates Dr. Zhijian “James” Chen on receiving the 2024 Albert Lasker Basic Medical Research Award for his revolutionary discovery of cGAS, a molecule that senses self and foreign DNA, activating the immune system. While cGAS is essential for detecting foreign DNA from pathogens like viruses and bacteria, in lupus, cGAS can detect a person’s own DNA, contributing to an inappropriate immune response and autoimmune disease.  

Dr. Chen’s work has dramatically advanced our understanding of innate immune signaling, the body’s first line of defense against infections and cellular damage. In 2014, the LRA awarded Dr. Chen the Distinguished Innovator Award to explore the role of cGAS in lupus.  

LRA’s early support of Dr. Chen’s research underscores our commitment to driving innovation that can transform lupus treatment. By continuing to fund vital research into the underlying mechanisms of lupus, including the role of key molecules like cGAS, the LRA is working to foster discoveries that could accelerate the development of more personalized and effective therapies for those living with lupus. 

Given annually by the Lasker Foundation, the distinguished Lasker Awards “recognize the contributions of leaders who have made major advances in the understanding, diagnosis, treatment, cure, and prevention of human disease.”