Lupus Foundation of America and Lupus Canada Award Research Grant to Study Aiming to Uncover the Causes of Fatigue in People with Lupus

WASHINGTON, July 24, 2025 /PRNewswire/ -- The Lupus Foundation of America (LFA) and Lupus Canada are pleased to announce Mohamed Osman, MD, PhD, Associate Professor of Rheumatology at University of Alberta, as the recipient of the 2025 Lupus Canada Catalyst Award. His study "Defining the molecular drivers of fatigue in lupus: a pilot study," aims to uncover the reasons behind severe fatigue that people with lupus often experience, which is frequently linked to pain and brain fog.

Causes of extreme fatigue in lupus are still unknown. Dr. Osman will study whether people with lupus who experience extreme fatigue exhibit elevated blood markers of inflammation, and if inflammation in the blood is a contributing factor to this debilitating symptom. The study aims to better understand the cause of fatigue in lupus, which may result in developing new treatment targets and more effective laboratory tests that can better identify lupus patients with these debilitating symptoms.

"Many people with lupus, regardless of how active their disease is, suffer from severe and debilitating fatigue and yet, the cause of fatigue is not well understood. Our aims are to identify abnormal molecular pathways related to inflammation and oxidative stress that we think might promote fatigue with the long-term goal to design future studies aimed at developing effective therapies for the fatigue experienced by many lupus patients," shared Dr. Osman. "The Lupus Canada Catalyst Award from the Lupus Foundation of America and Lupus Canada is instrumental in supporting this important research so that we can work to improve the quality of life for everyone impacted by lupus."

The Lupus Canada Catalyst Award provides funding for one year to Canadian lupus researchers in any phase of their professional careers to champion novel research that can potentially improve the quality of life for people with lupus.

"Our partnership with Lupus Canada enables us to work together across organizations to fund crucial areas of lupus research," said Joy Buie, PhD, MSCR, RN, Vice President of Research, Lupus Foundation of America. "The research conducted by Dr. Osman is seeking to understand the causes of extreme fatigue often observed in people living with autoimmune diseases like  lupus. This work is important because fatigue drastically decreases the quality of life for people living with lupus and there are currently no effective treatments routinely used to address this issue in the communities we serve. Findings from this study hold promise for life changing solutions that will help better manage or prevent the debilitating impacts of lupus fatigue."

"Our partnership with the Lupus Foundation of America allows us to collaborate on funding vital lupus research," said Leanne Mielczarek, CEO, Lupus Canada. "Dr. Osman's research focuses on uncovering the underlying causes of the debilitating fatigue experienced by so many living with autoimmune diseases like lupus. Fatigue has a significant impact on quality of life, and with no consistently effective treatments currently available, this study offers real hope for meaningful progress. We are proud to support research that could lead to life-changing solutions for individuals affected by lupus."

Learn more about the Lupus Canada Catalyst Award and the 2025 awardee.

About the Lupus Foundation of America:
The Lupus Foundation of America is the only national force devoted to solving the mystery of lupus, one of the world's cruelest, most unpredictable, and devastating diseases, while giving caring support to those who suffer from its brutal impact. Through a comprehensive program of research, education, and advocacy, we lead the fight to improve the quality of life for all people affected by lupus.

About Lupus Canada
Lupus Canada is a non-profit organization dedicated to the mission and vision of improving the lives of Canadians living with lupus through research, advocacy, public awareness and education. 

Media Contacts:
Shannon Brown
brown@lupus.org
202-763-5485

Leanne Mielczarek
Leanne.mielczarek@lupuscanada.org
905 235 1714

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SOURCE Lupus Foundation of America, Inc.