Lara C. Pullen, PhD, is a medical writer with a PhD in microbiology/immunology from Northwestern University’s Feinberg School of Medicine. As a medical writer she has covered topics as diverse as diabetes, cardiovascular disease, and autism. Her favorite subject, however, is the role of the immune system in health and disease. Dr. Pullen is also the mother of three children, the youngest of whom has Prader-Willi Syndrome (PWS). She is an active member of the PWS community and a thought leader on the importance of the ketogenic diet for this patient population.
In a study of patients with Charcot-Marie-Tooth disease, researchers found that MRI scans can be used to detect the muscle water changes that precede marked intramuscular fat accumulation that may contribute to the disease’s presentation. MRI biomarkers may prove useful in clinical trials for therapies for this and other neuromuscular disorders by enabling researchers to measure disease progression…
Researchers used T cell transcriptome analysis in a small-scale study, identifying gene expression of specific patient subtypes and finding that expression alteration of T cells may correlate with severity of SLE rather than its presentation…
New research recommends that doctors test the sera of patients with idiopathic pulmonary fibrosis for anti-neutrophil cytoplasmic antibodies (ANCA), as well as closely monitor this population for signs of lung vasculitis…
In a large-scale genome-wide association study, researchers mapped 10 new SLE-associated loci and found aberrantly regulated gene expression networks may be behind SLE development…
A recent study connects the use of immunosuppressant and biologic agents to an increased risk of nonmelanoma skin cancer in patients being treated for RA and IBD…
New research links the RNA binding protein Ro60 with SLE pathogenesis and disease-causing inflammation…
A new study found patients with early RA had increased membrane and soluble CD64. After receiving anti-rheumatic therapy, patients’ symptoms and CD64 levels decreased, suggesting CD64 is an RA biomarker…
Screening gout patients for the HLA-B*58:01 allele may help rheumatologists determine more effective treatments and a patient’s risk of allopurinol-induced severe cutaneous adverse reactions…
New insights into bone cell biology—including the identification of parbendazole, a bone anabolic compound that promotes bone formation—may lead to better treatments for osteoporosis…
A Phase 3 study found secukinumab may be an effective alternative to anti-TNF therapies for treating psoriatic arthritis, suggesting interleukin 17A may play a role in the disease…