October 13, 2017
US – IDF brings together the PI Community and funds vital research
In the U.S., the Immune Deficiency Foundation (IDF) is walking together to create better lives and find cures for people with primary immunodeficiency diseases (PI). IDF Walk for Primary Immunodeficiency 2017 is officially underway with walks across the country in 16 cities this fall. All individuals affected by PI are encouraged to come together to increase awareness of these rare, chronic diseases and raise funds to support vital research.
Since 2013, IDF Walk for PI has raised more than $3 million. Because of the dollars raised by IDF walk teams and their supporters, in 2016, the Foundation established the IDF Research Grant Program. The idea is to award seed grants that will support well-defined research projects to help improve the diagnosis, treatment and quality of life of people living with PI.
The program is a competitive process with a formal committee, comprised of clinicians, members of the community and IDF staff. IDF received many high-quality grant proposals, and awarded six different grants to different researchers across the U.S.
Ranging from research on Common Variable Immune Deficiency (CVID), Severe Combined Immune Deficiency (SCID), XMEN and Selective IgA, these researchers are identifying and understanding the underlying issues of these chronic diseases. With research comes better diagnoses, lives and potentially cures for those with PI.
For more information and to learn more about the grants awarded, go to: www.primaryimmune.org/idf-research-grant-program.