The Metro Washington Chapter of the Arthritis Foundation has named NIAMS' Daniel Kastner, M.D., Ph.D., as the recipient of its first annual Breakthroughs in Arthritis Research Award.

The award was presented on January 28, 2000, in Washington, D.C., during a reception after a performance of Guys and Dolls at the Arena Stage.

Kastner heads the NIAMS Genetics Section and has spent the past decade identifying genes that predispose people to arthritis, of which many forms are genetically linked.

Kastner and international collaborators have successfully identified the genes that are responsible for forms of arthritis associated with two inflammatory disorders; these are TRAPS (Tumor Necrosis Factor Receptor-Associated Periodic Syndrome) and FMF (Familial Mediterranean Fever).

TRAPS is a genetic disease that results in arthritic fever and inflammation of the lungs and intestines. It may also cause a rash.

FMF is also genetic, with symptoms that include fever, skin rash, joint pain and damage, and sometimes abdominal or chest pain.

Both TRAPS and FMF carry the risk of amyloidosis, a potentially fatal deposition of a blood protein in vital organs.

The National Institute of Arthritis and Musculoskeletal and Skin Diseases (NIAMS), a part of the National Institutes of Health (NIH), leads the Federal medical research effort in arthritis and musculoskeletal and skin diseases. The NIAMS supports research and research training throughout the United States, as well as on the NIH campus in Bethesda, MD, and disseminates health and research information. The National Arthritis and Musculoskeletal and Skin Diseases Information Clearinghouse (NAMSIC) is a public service sponsored by the NIAMS that provides health information and information sources. Additional information can be found on the NIAMS Web site at http://www.niams.nih.gov/.