Shruti Raja, MD

Clinician Scientist Development Award in Myasthenia Gravis

What We Know:
Autoimmune myasthenia gravis (MG) is a debilitating and potentially fatal disease characterized by fatigable weakness of ocular, bulbar, respiratory and limb muscles. Current surgical and medical management of MG varies across centers, and the generalization of clinical trial data to the overall MG population is unclear. Questions regarding which commonly used therapies are most effective in treatment of MG also remain unanswered. Due to the variability of the disease at the individual level, rigorous clinical trials to assess such therapies are difficult to conduct and not always directly applicable to the overall MG population. An alternate strategy is to use real world evidence from multicenter databases to provide critical data to identify optimal surgical approaches and long-term medical management strategies.

Our Plan to Help:
Dr. Raja strives to advance the understanding of MG therapies by utilizing rigorously collected, large multicenter databases to provide critical data to support which specific surgical approaches and long-term medical management strategies for MG are most effective and associated with the fewest complications. Results from this project will provide data immediately applicable to the management of patients in the clinic.

How You Can Help:
Donate to the American Brain Foundation to support Dr. Raja’s research to enhance treatments for myasthenia gravis patients.

Dr. Raja is the recipient of the 2019 Clinician Scientist Development Award in Myasthenia Gravis funded by the American Brain Foundation and Myasthenia Gravis Foundation of America in collaboration with the American Academy of Neurology.