From left: Andrea Bujor, who works with Maria Trojanowska at MUSC, and Rajpreet Arora-Singh, who works with Filemon Tan, M.D., at UT Houston.

Ciao, Scleroderma Foundation

The Scleroderma Foundation was well represented at the International Workshop on Systemic Sclerosis held March 7–10 at the University of Milan, Italy. Foundation CEO Frannie Waldron, National Board member Carol Feghali-Bostwick, Ph.D., and Medical Advisory Board members Frederick Wigley, M.D., Frank Arnett, M.D., and Maureen Mayes, M.D., joined physicians and young researchers from around the world. Top scleroderma physicians, researchers and fellows shared their most recent research.

The workshop was organized by GILS, the Italian scleroderma patient organization. On the final day of the workshop, attendance grew as hundreds of Italian scleroderma patients and their families came to Milan to learn about the latest research and treatment updates. Also joining the workshop for the final day were representatives from many European scleroderma patient organizations who have recently formed the Federation of European Scleroderma Associations (FESCA).

GILS presented awards in memory of E. Carwile LeRoy, M.D. and Joseph Korn, M.D. Awards were distributed to four trainees/young investigators who presented at the workshop. Two of these recipients, Andrea Bujor (Medical University of South Carolina) and Rajpreet Aurora-Singh (University of Texas-Houston), were from the United States, while the others were from the United Kingdom and Italy. Each of these individuals was given a 5,000 Euro prize. Andrea is mentored by Maria Trojanowska, Ph.D. at MUSC. Maria previously received a Scleroderma Foundation research grant. Raspreet’s mentor is Filemon Tan, M.D., at UT Houston.

The meeting was very informative for all, due in large part to program chair and University of Milan Professor Rafaella Scorza and GILS president Carla Costi.