2004 Outstanding Scientific Achievements by a Young Investigator
Yaniv Sherer, MD, is a 29-year-old physician who graduated (Cum Laude) 4 years ago from the Sackler Faculty of Medicine in Tel-Aviv University, Israel. He has been involved in clinical and basic research since his 4th year of medical school. Currently, he is a physician and researcher in the Department of Medicine B and Center of Autoimmune Diseases, Sheba Medical Center, Tel-Hashomer, Israel.
Dr. Sherer’s main research interests are as follows:
The use of intravenous immunoglobulin (IVIg) in autoimmune diseases: Dr. Sherer is a member of a world-leading group in the field of use of IVIg in autoimmune diseases. This group (headed by Prof. Yehuda Shoenfeld) has published many articles regarding IVIg use in rheumatology and other autoimmune conditions. Dr. Sherer was the leading researcher or the second leading researcher in most of these studies. He has published several case reports describing the use of IVIg in severe cases of autoimmune conditions, mainly in systemic lupus erythematosus (SLE), and has data regarding more than 100 SLE patients, the largest patients series ever reported to receive IVIg. His analysis of adverse effects of a large series of patients treated with IVIg led to practical recommendations. Dr. Sherer’s research also focuses on mechanisms of actions of IVIg in these disorders. Representative studies include cytokine concentrations in IVIg, antiphospholipid antibodies in IVIg preparations, and autoantibody concentration modification in immune thrombocytopenic purpura patients after IVIg therapy.
The antiphospholipid syndrome (APS): Dr. Sherer’s research includes both clinical and basic aspects of the prothrombotic syndrome named APS. He has described the novel overlap syndrome, dermatomyositis-polymyositis associated with APS, together with Profs. Langevitz and Shoenfeld, and has published several studies of animal models of this syndrome with Dr. Miri Blank. In addition, he is a co-author (together with Prof. Shoenfeld) of a book on APS dedicated to patients.
The antiatherogenic effects of magnesium fortification of drinking water: Dr. Sherer and his colleagues have demonstrated that magnesium fortification of drinking water can significantly decrease atherosclerosis in a mouse model prone to atherosclerosis development. They have also investigated several mechanisms of actions associated with the antiatherogenic effect of magnesium.
The involvement of the immune system in atherosclerosis: evidence for the role of autoimmunity: Dr. Sherer has been studying the role of oxidized LDL (oxLDL) and the autoantibodies directed toward it in atherosclerosis. He has published as a first author several original articles on series of patients with coronary artery disease. The role of anti-phospholipid antibodies in general, and more specifically of anti-oxLDL antibodies, in these patents has been studied. He has also published several review articles and chapters in scientific books regarding anti-oxLDL antibodies and their association with atherosclerosis.
Dr. Sherer is an author of 40 original articles and more than 100 scientific articles. He is a member of editorial boards of two scientific journals (Israel Medical Association Journal and Autoimmunity Reviews) and the author of 11 chapters in scientific books. He has presented many posters and oral presentation in international scientific meetings and has been an invited speaker at several international meetings.