Questcor Pharmaceuticals, Inc., a biopharmaceutical company focused on the treatment of patients with serious, difficult-to-treat autoimmune and inflammatory disorders, has funded independent researchers at 10 institutions for 2014.  These investigators represent the first recipients of the newly-established Questcor Research Fellowship Programme, which awards grants of $50,000 each to selected clinical and basic scientists to help fund their projects.

"As a company, we actively support innovative research at academic or non-profit institutions in the basic sciences, translational research, clinical research and applied fields," said Steve Cartt, Questcor chief operating officer.  "Our hope is that the research we fund will ultimately help advance the translation of biomedical science into treatments, preventions and even cures for human auto-immune and inflammatory diseases."

The Programme presently focuses on the fields of nephrology, neurology and rheumatology.  Winning grants were reviewed and selected by an independent panel of academic experts not affiliated with Questcor.

Dr Gary Hogge, vice president of medical affairs at Questcor, said the objective of the program is to provide grants to fellows, junior clinicians, residents and post-doctoral researchers pursuing a research-oriented career in neurology, nephrology or rheumatology.  Dr. Hogge said, "Research will be conducted at eligible academic institutions and will address essential scientific questions related to conditions such as multiple sclerosis, infantile spasms, glomerular diseases and related disorders, rheumatoid arthritis, systemic lupus erythematosus, psoriatic arthritis, dermatomyositis, polymyositis, and ankylosing spondylitis."

The following is a list of the institutions whose researchers are recipients of grants from the Questcor Research Fellowship Program for 2014: Hetkoen Institute for Medical Research; Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai; The Ohio State University Office of Sponsored Programs; The Regents of the University of California, San Francisco; The Brigham and Women's Hospital, Inc.; Yale University; Beth Israel Deaconess Medical Center; Washington University; University of California, Los Angeles;
Rush University Medical Center

According to Dr Hogge, the fellowships will be funded for one academic year in the amount of $50,000 per year and may be renewable for a second year (contingent on progress towards the pre-stated research objectives).  The application process will reopen on April 15, 2014 and close on June 1, 2014.