The CARRA Blog

Physicians, researchers, regulators, pharmaceutical industry leaders, and patient advocates came together recently at the U.S. Food & Drug Administration (FDA) to work towards getting treatments approved more quickly for pediatric lupus. CARRA and the Pediatric Rheumatology Collaborative Study Group (PRCSG) collaborated to plan the FDA Workshop: Accelerating Product Development for Pediatric Systemic Lupus Erythematosus (SLE). This important

Colleagues from across the pediatric rheumatology community are reflecting on the life and legacy of Professor Susan D. Thompson, PhD, who passed away on June 30th. Known internationally for her research expertise, she was also deeply admired in the CARRA community for her collaborative spirit. Sue was a researcher at Cincinnati Children’s Hospital Medical Center

Imagine experiencing a family vacation of a lifetime in the Dubai desert, under the glistening moon lit starry night. Surrounded by bright colored blanketed chairs and sparkling belly dances as your family eagerly awaited fresh chicken kebabs to be served. A little girl walking by, stops next to my daughter, reaches out and touches her

Andrew Kung is a current third-year pediatric rheumatology fellow at Penn State Children’s Health. His interest in pediatric rheumatology first developed during residency while caring for patients with systemic juvenile idiopathic arthritis (sJIA) and macrophage activation syndrome. One experience in particular helped solidify his path into the field. After suggesting the diagnosis of systemic JIA

Families living with childhood lupus have powerful allies in LADA and CARRA. The Lupus and Allied Diseases Association, Inc. (LADA) and the Childhood Rheumatology Research Alliance (CARRA) have a research partnership and a shared commitment to advancing childhood lupus research, from discoveries that could pave the way for targeted therapies to new approaches to managing

The Childhood Arthritis and Rheumatology Research Alliance (CARRA) is proud to announce the winners of the 2026 CARRA Community Awards. The awards, which were presented at CARRA’s Annual Scientific Meeting this month, honor people who have made outstanding achievements in advancing pediatric rheumatology research and played important roles in the CARRA community. This year’s winners

Farzana Nuruzzaman, MD, FACR, is a clinical pediatric rheumatologist based in Stony Brook, New York, where she practices at Stony Brook Children’s Hospital. She is part of a small but dedicated pediatric rheumatology team and is deeply engaged in both patient care and collaborative research. Dr. Nuruzzaman’s path to pediatric rheumatology began during her residency

Originally from Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania and now living in Morgantown, West Virginia, Mckenna Bowes has turned her personal journey with Systemic Lupus Erythematosus (SLE) into a lifelong mission to advance research, improve patient care, and empower others living with pediatric rheumatic diseases. A Journey of Strength and Purpose Mckenna was diagnosed with lupus in 2019 at