In This Issue:

-Recommendations for the Treat-To-Target Strategy in JDM

-A Deep Dive in Myositis Specific Antibodies and Juvenile Myositis

-Pragmatic Clinical Trial Design in Pediatric Autoimmune Diseases

-Child and Caregiver Behavioral Health Screening Among Patients with Juvenile Dermatomyositis and Systemic Lupus Erythematosus



-Familial Clustering of Dysbiotic Oral and Fecal Mircobiomes in Juvenile Dermatomyositis

Biorepository Samples Are Available

A reminder that there are several biorepositories that store biological specimens and data used for approved research studies to researchers.  

For more information, contact Cure JM CSO Andrew Heaton, Ph.D., at andrew.heaton@curejm.org

Recently, the Cure JM Clinical Care Network hosted its May virtual event, Juvenile Myositis Clinical Care Summit, with leading researchers and clinicians sharing best practices to help providers diagnose, treat, and care for juvenile myositis patients.

We are pleased to share each presentation and the outcomes below.

3 CME Credits available -- contact James Tealy, Cure JM Clinician Education Manager, at james.tealy@curejm.org.

Upcoming Summits In September:



Mental Health Summit on Pharmacologic and Non-Pharmacologic Treatment of Anxiety and Depression in Pediatric Rheumatology



#1 Wednesday, September 17, 2025 (12 pm PT / 1 pm MT / 2 pm CT / 3 pm ET)

#2 Monday, September 22, 2025 (8 am PT / 9 am MT / 10 am CT / 11 am ET)

Virtual Summit on Juvenile Myositis Research and Care

Thursday, September 25, 2025 (12 p PT / 1 pm MT / 2 pm CT / 3 pm ET)

Recommendations for the Treat-to-Target Strategy in JDM

About Dr. Ravelli:

Angelo Ravelli, MD, is the Scientific Director of the Giannina Gaslini Institute of Genoa, Italy, and Professor of Pediatrics at the University of Genoa, Italy. He is the past President of the Pediatric Rheumatology European Society (PReS) and Editor-in-Chief of Pediatric Rheumatology. 

Dr. Ravelli has recently been co-chair of the International Task Force that developed the recommendations for the treat-to-target strategy in juvenile dermatomyositis. He is the author or co-author of more than 500 peer-reviewed articles, and on Scopus, he has more than 28.000 citations and an H index of 89.

A Deep Dive in Myositis-Specific Antibodies and Juvenile Myositis

About Dr. Mammen:

After obtaining his M.D. and Ph.D. at Johns Hopkins, Dr. Mammen completed his neurology residency and neuromuscular fellowship at the same institution. He co-founded the Johns Hopkins Myositis Center in 2007, where he and his colleagues discovered a novel form of autoimmune myopathy associated with statin use and autoantibodies recognizing HMG-CoA reductase, the pharmacologic target of statins. In 2014, Dr. Mammen moved to the NIH, where he is an Investigator and Leader of the Muscle Disease Unit. 

In addition to seeing myositis patients at the NIH Clinical Center, he maintains an appointment as Adjunct Professor of Neurology and Medicine at Johns Hopkins, where he continues to see patients at the Myositis Center.

Pragmatic Clinical Trial Design in Pediatric Autoimmune Diseases

About Dr. Weiss:

Pamela Weiss, MD MSCE is an academic pediatric rheumatologist with advanced training in clinical epidemiology and a focus on the pharmacoepidemiology and outcomes of children with spondyloarthritis (SpA). She has developed disease response and outcome measures for youth with SpA as well as classification criteria for axial disease in juvenile SpA. 

Dr. Weiss has over fifteen years of experience leading clinical research endeavors, including multi-center research and research involving international collaborations. Dr. Weiss has served on Steering Committees, Advisory Boards, and Data Monitoring Committees for pediatric trials.

Child and Caregiver Behavioral Health Screening Among Patients with Juvenile Dermatomyositis and Systemic Lupus Erythematosus

About Dr. Turnier:

Dr. Turnier is a Licensed Psychologist with the Department of Pediatrics, Division of Pediatric Psychology at the University of Michigan Health System. He works within the Integrated Behavioral Health program and specializes in the delivery of brief, problem-focused behavior interventions for a myriad of behavioral health concerns. 



Dr. Turnier also works in two multidisciplinary clinics in collaboration with the Division of Rheumatology, specializing in the assessment and treatment of mental/behavioral health issues among patients diagnosed with a chronic rheumatic illness. He is actively involved in research, quality improvement initiatives, and program development.

Familial Clustering of Dysbiotic Oral and Fecal Microbiomes in Juvenile Dermatomyositis

About Sean Koester:

Sean Koester is presenting the findings of his sixth published research project. Mr. Koester currently serves as a research assistant for Dr. Neelendu Dey in the Fred Hutchinson Cancer Center, where he’s filled various research roles over the past six years. 

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