By Begum Horuluoglu, PhD
Thanks to the generous support of The Myositis Association (TMA), I have been able to pursue groundbreaking research into the immunological mechanisms underlying idiopathic inflammatory myopathies, particularly focusing on the role of faulty T cells in myositis.
My project, titled “Characterization of Jo-1 specific T cells in idiopathic inflammatory myopathies and development of MyoT mouse,” aims to identify and understand a subset of white blood cells—T lymphocytes—that, for reasons still unknown, begin to attack the body’s own tissues. These rogue immune cells are found at sites of inflammation in muscles, lungs, and skin of patients with myositis, but the mechanisms driving their behavior remain elusive.
During the first year of my TMA-funded fellowship, I applied a novel methodology developed and optimized in our research group to detect these faulty T cells in blood samples from patients with anti-Jo1-positive myositis. Our preliminary findings are promising: we successfully identified T cells that mistakenly recognize the body’s own proteins as foreign and initiate an immune attack. This is the first time such cells have been reported in myositis patients.
Even more compelling, we found that these faulty T cells persist in patients even after a year of conventional immunosuppressive treatment. Although disease activity was low, none of the patients were in remission, suggesting that current therapies may suppress symptoms without addressing the underlying disease mechanisms. We are now integrating detailed clinical data with our findings to better understand the role of these persistent T cells and their contribution to disease progression.
This research has the potential to shift the paradigm in myositis treatment, moving from symptom management to targeted therapies that address the root cause of the disease.
The TMA fellowship has been instrumental not only in advancing this research but also in shaping my career. At the time of my application in 2022, I was a postdoctoral fellow in Professor Ingrid Lundberg’s group at the Karolinska Institutet in Stockholm, Sweden. The fellowship allowed me to pay my own salary, which significantly increased my independence and led to my promotion to Assistant Professor in August 2023. In fall 2024, I became a junior team leader at the Center for Molecular Medicine, and in October, I recruited my first PhD student as a main supervisor—milestones that mark my transition to an independent researcher.
In November 2024, I had the privilege of presenting my findings during a TMA-hosted webinar attended by 118 participants. Sharing my work with individuals living with myositis was deeply meaningful and motivating. The supportive feedback I received reaffirmed the importance of bridging molecular research with patient experience.
The fellowship also opened doors to international collaboration. I was invited to speak at the 6th International Molecular Immunology and Immunogenetics Congress in Istanbul, Turkey, and will participate in the Korea-Nordic Next-Generation Leaders Workshop in Research and Innovation this September in Stockholm. These opportunities have expanded my network and helped secure additional funding to support my research.
Looking ahead, I remain committed to unraveling the immunological mechanisms of autoimmune diseases, with a continued focus on myositis. I am deeply grateful to TMA for their support, which has been a cornerstone of my scientific journey. Together, we are moving closer to understanding—and ultimately treating—the root causes of myositis.
Dr. Horuluoglu was awarded a $100,000 two-year fellowship grant from TMA in 2022. TMA is committed to supporting young investigators like Dr. Horuluoglu who want to dedicate their career to the study of myositis diseases. If you would like to provide resources to support the scientists of the future, please consider making a donation to TMA.