Selena Gomez created a Lupus research fund at USC in 2017; here is the medical research her donation was designed to support

Selena Gomez has used her journey with lupus to support research that can help others who are facing the same challenges. She has been honest about her diagnosis since 2015. By supporting research, she is helping doctors and scientists look for better ways to treat the complications that come with lupus. Her efforts are making a difference in the search for answers.

The singer established the Selena Gomez Fund for Lupus Research at the Keck School of Medicine at the University of Southern California. It was her first donation to USC specifically for lupus research.

The fund initially supported a pilot research program led by Janos Peti-Peterdi, MD, PhD, a professor of physiology and biophysics at the Keck School. The project also involves Chaim Jacob, MD, PhD, a professor of medicine who specializes in lupus research.

What Is Selena Gomez’s Lupus Research Fund Supporting

The research program focuses on complications caused by lupus and the possibility of developing treatments that target them more precisely. Peti-Peterdi and Jacob are working with an interdisciplinary research team that studies the genetics and development of the disease. The team has used advanced imaging techniques to investigate the underlying causes of lupus complications and explore new ways to understand how they develop.

The researchers hope their work will help lay the groundwork for future treatment advances.

Gomez has expressed optimism about the research and the people who may benefit from it.



“I continue to be optimistic about the progress being made in lupus research and am proud to support the promising work at Keck School of Medicine,” Gomez said. “I am hopeful for the millions of us around the world that may benefit from this.”

Peti-Peterdi also welcomed the partnership, highlighting the need for better treatments.

“We are extremely pleased to partner with Selena in her efforts to promote awareness and medical research toward a much-needed cure for lupus,” he said. “Complications from systemic lupus cause serious damage, and we are hopeful that our research, with Selena’s support, will help those affected by this disease lead full, healthy lives.”

Why is Lupus Research Important

Lupus is an autoimmune disease affecting more than 1.5 million Americans and over 5 million people across the globe. Unfortunately, it has no cure at present.

Lupus can bring complications, so research into what drives Lupus and how to treat it becomes especially important. The USC program aims to improve scientists’ understanding of these complications and help identify more targeted ways to treat them.

Peti-Peterdi’s research team brings together expertise in genetics, disease development and advanced imaging. By studying how lupus complications arise, the researchers hope to identify new approaches that could eventually benefit patients.

For Gomez the cause is also personal. She stepped back from performing as she went through chemotherapy for the disease. She started speaking out to raise awareness and push for research post treatment. Her fund puts that advocacy into action by helping scientists study lupus and find ways to care for people who live with it. The information is taken from Keck School of Medicine of USC and Lupus News Today.