Lupus Foundation Of America and BMJ Publish First Open Access Journal Dedicated To Lupus

Lupus Science & Medicine is launched to provide the latest lupus research and stimulate collaborative efforts to improving the lives of all people affected by lupus

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Lupus Foundation of America

Apr 03, 2014, 09:00 ET

WASHINGTON, April 3, 2014 /PRNewswire-USNewswire/ -- The Lupus Foundation of America and BMJ announced today the launch and publication of the first scientific research articles in Lupus Science & Medicine™. Lupus Science & Medicine is a peer reviewed, Open Access, online journal that provides a central point for publication of basic, clinical, translational and epidemiological studies of all aspects of lupus and related diseases. It is the first lupus-specific Open Access journal in the world and was developed in response to the need for a barrier-free forum for publication of ground-breaking studies in lupus. Lupus Science & Medicine is owned by the Lupus Foundation of America and published by BMJ, a respected global provider of evidence-based medical knowledge.

"Until now, lupus research findings have been published across a wide list of non-lupus-specific journals, including rheumatology, dermatology, nephrology and immunology," explains Sandra C. Raymond, President and CEO of the Lupus Foundation of America. "Lupus Science & Medicine provides a much needed, centralized home for publishing important lupus research findings. This journal will help to bring greater worldwide attention to important lupus research and will stimulate new collaborative efforts to find better ways to solve the cruel mystery of lupus."

At the publication's launch, five lupus research articles from international lupus experts were accepted for publication. Topics include:

An evaluation of the utility of repeat renal biopsies in patients with SLE (Soriano et al)
A study of specific T-cell mediated immune responses to Epstein-Barr virus in people with lupus (Draborg et al)
An examination of one of the most time-tested laboratory markers of SLE, the anti-DNA antibody test (Compagno et al)
A study of the effects of serum from patients with lupus nephritis on cultured human podocytes (Manson et al)
An evaluation of whether the instrument faithfully reflects the doctor's assessment of the change in activity of the patient (Thanou et al)

"We are committed to applying transparent and objective scientific rigor to the overall review process," added the journal's editors-in-chief, Dr. Jill Buyon, Division Director of Rheumatology and Professor of Medicine at New York University School of Medicine and Dr. Ronald van Vollenhoven, Professor and Head of Unit for Clinical Therapy Research, Inflammatory Diseases at the Karolinska Institute. "Our ultimate vision is for Lupus Science & Medicine to become the premier forum for sharing lupus-related discoveries throughout our expansive community."

The Lupus Foundation of America and BMJ assembled a world-class team of associate editors and an editorial board to maintain a journal with the highest standards, high visibility and credibility. Research on lupus will be considered from fields including, but not limited to, rheumatology, dermatology, nephrology, immunology, pediatrics, cardiology, hepatology, pulmonology, obstetrics and gynecology and psychiatry. Submissions from groups of investigators engaged in international collaborations are especially encouraged.

Lupus Science & Medicine complements the Lupus Foundation of America's national research program, Bringing Down the Barriers™, which pursues an aggressive agenda to tackle the biggest challenges in lupus and find answers to the most important questions. To learn more about Lupus Science & Medicine and access the latest lupus research, visit lupus.bmj.com.

About BMJ
BMJ is a trusted global provider of evidence-based medical knowledge through its publications, which include more than 50 specialist titles and The BMJ, and online learning and decision support tools.

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, the Foundation leads the fight to improve the quality of life for all people affected by lupus. Learn more about the Lupus Foundation of America at lupus.org. For the latest news and updates, follow us on Twitter and Facebook.

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SOURCE Lupus Foundation of America