BRI’s Jessica Hamerman, PhD, and postdoctoral fellow Holly Akilesh, PhD, recently discovered that a specific macrophage is the culprit behind a life threatening condition called macrophage activation syndrome (MAS).

MAS strikes when macrophage cells – which should eat bacteria – eat red blood cells instead.

When people with diseases like lupus and systemic juvenile idiopathic arthritis (SJIA) are feverish and light-headed, doctors start to worry: These symptoms can indicate MAS.

Now Dr. Hamerman and her team are moving toward real-world clinical applications. This includes partnering with Seattle Children’s Hospital to investigate ways to inhibit the cells that cause MAS, which could have big implications for patients with autoimmune diseases – and even for kids with malaria.

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