NIAMS Director, Lindsey Criswell, MD, MPH, D.Sc. Key leaders of the National Institute of Arthritis and Musculoskeletal and Skin Diseases (NIAMS) met with NAAF President & CEO, Nicole Friedland and select NAAF staff and board members this past week. NIAMS is the largest funder of alopecia areata research in the world and receives its budget from the National Institutes of Health, for which NAAF has long advocated larger annual funding increases. NIAMS Director, Lindsey Criswell, MD, MPH, D.Sc., discussed the institute’s initiatives pertaining to alopecia areata, as well as research into treatment they currently fund. NAAF then gave an overview of the foundation’s work and alopecia areata itself, highlighted by board member Shamsha Damani movingly presenting on the patient experience. “We were honored to represent our patient community to those who decide on research funding and seek new ways to collaborate in the future,” remarked Nicole. We look forward to Dr. Criswell addressing NAAF’s upcoming conference this June, and to build upon this relationship where NAAF and NIAMS can both benefit.
