GAI and La Jolla Institute for Immunology
GAI and LJI have a Unified Mission
This growing partnership began in 2024 and seeks to unravel the complexities of autoimmune diseases and inspire hope for a healthier future through both scientific discovery and public engagement.
LJI is one of the few organizations in the world solely dedicated to research on the immune system. Its Center for Autoimmunity and Inflammation enables LJI’s experts to uncover the causes and commonalities among different autoimmune diseases and to develop new treatments that teach the immune system to tolerate the body’s own cells. As a result, LJI researchers have wide-ranging expertise in the fundamental mechanisms of self-tolerance, as well as in many of the autoimmune diseases that result when self-tolerance breaks down.
In 2025, we expanded this partnership with a $1 million investment to accelerate autoimmune research and strengthen our shared mission of empowering solutions through science.
Together, we are advancing understanding, fostering collaboration, and driving innovations that benefit patients and physicians alike.
Dr. Sam Myers
GAI proudly supports the work of LJI’s Dr. Sam Myers, the inaugural Global Autoimmune Institute Assistant Professor. Dr. Myers leads the Laboratory for Immunochemical Circuits, which focuses on how molecular modifications affect immune cell behavior, providing critical insights into autoimmune disease mechanisms.
In 2025, GAI renewed its support for Dr. Myers with a five-year commitment to fund the GAI Assistant Professorship and ensure long-term continuity in his research.
The Decision Makers
A compelling short film that will highlight Dr. Myers’ journey, his lab’s contributions, and the broader impact of his work. As a rising leader in immunology, his story will illustrate how philanthropy fuels scientific breakthroughs.
This documentary-style piece offers an inside look at innovation in action—bridging discovery, dedication, and the future of autoimmune research.
Live From the Lab
with LJI’s Dr. Sonia Sharma
On March 19, 2025, GAI and LJI held a virtual event offering a rare behind-the-scenes look into pioneering autoimmune research. In this session, viewers were introduced to the overlooked role of non-immune cells—such as those in the skin and blood vessels—as critical first responders in autoimmune and inflammatory responses.
Dr. Sharma led attendees through an eye-opening exploration of how early immune signaling by these cells can influence disease progression. Using cutting-edge techniques like genome-scale RNA interference, CRISPR/Cas9, and mass spectrometry metabolomics, Dr. Sharma revealed how this research is shaping the future of autoimmune disease understanding and treatment.
Whether seeking personal insight or scientific enrichment, attendees walked away with a deeper appreciation for the hidden complexity of immune system triggers. A lively Q&A session followed, moderated by GAI Executive Director Sandy Boek Werness, J.D.
Life Without Disease Event Series
Held in La Jolla, CA on November 7, 2024
LJI’s Global Autoimmune Institute Assistant Professor Sam Myers, Ph.D., explores how to control how immune cells behave by first understanding how they “think”. Myers uses mass spectrometry and proteomics to uncover how immune cells make decisions—and what goes wrong in autoimmune, inflammatory, and other diseases. While the Myers Laboratory focus is on protein mass spectrometry and quantitative proteomics, they integrate genomics, chemical biology, and genetic engineering to delineate how various signaling pathways integrate into the gene expression machinery to drive immune cell activation and differentiation.
Outsmarting Autoimmune Disease
Event Recording
If we want to control how immune cells behave, we first need to understand how they “think” and “make decisions.”
Learn how LJI’s Global Autoimmune Institute Assistant Professor Sam Myers, Ph.D., uses mass spectrometry and proteomics to uncover how immune cells make decisions—and what goes wrong in autoimmune, inflammatory, and other diseases.
LEAD Day
Held in La Jolla, CA on March 6, 2025
GAI was thrilled to support the very first Lectures, Empowerment, and Awareness in Autoimmune Disease (LEAD) Day. This event united leading researchers, clinicians, and the autoimmune community to share groundbreaking science and empower patients through engaging discussions and education.
A highlight of the day was the presentation of the first Walter and Jean Boek Leadership in Research Award to Dr. Georg Schett—recognizing his pioneering work in the field of autoimmune disease. Another was the Beyond the Diagnosis: The Autoimmunity Research That’s Reshaping Lives panel discussion, featuring Dr. Schett, Dr. Myers, Dr. Guma, and Sandy Werness.
Sandra Boek Werness, Executive Director of the Global Autoimmune Institute presenting Dr. Georg Schett with the Walter and Jean Boek Leadership in Research Award
Printed Features
Communicating science is vital to empowering patients and physicians alike.
Immune Matters Magazine
Featuring interviews and articles on the partnership’s achievements, this biannual publication offers a window into the transformative research underway.
Resource Guide (coming soon)
GAI has supported LJI’s development of engaging infographics that educate the public on autoimmune diseases and the progress being made to combat them.