Centers of Excellence
The Colton Center for Autoimmunity, collaborating with the Penn community, aims to transform autoimmune research and redefine our understanding and management of autoimmune diseases. By establishing and funding Centers of Excellence (CoEs), we create dynamic hubs that foster interdisciplinary collaboration and cutting-edge research, accelerating the translation of scientific discoveries into tangible patient benefits. Leveraging Penn's diverse expertise and resources, we strive to uncover new insights into autoimmune mechanisms and develop innovative approaches for diagnosis, treatment, and prevention, ultimately improving patient care and outcomes.
2025 Awardees
High-Throughput Center for AutoImmune Therapeutic Discovery (HIT-AI)
HIT-Al led by Drs. David Fajgenbaum, Sara Cherry, and Jonathan Miner, HIT-AI aims to systematically identify and validate repurposed treatments for over 160 autoimmune diseases by integrating cutting-edge computational, experimental, and clinical approaches. Using knowledge graphs and machine learning, the team will generate predictive scores for all 4,000 FDA-approved drugs, then confirm high-potential matches through high-throughput screening in cellular models. Promising candidates will undergo rigorous testing in animal models, retrospective clinical studies, and where possible, clinical trials. Ultimately, HIT-AI aims to drive the identification of multiple new therapeutic options, faster clinical implementation, and a scalable model for drug repurposing in autoimmunity.
Colton Center for RNA Exploration in Autoimmune Therapeutics (CREATE)
CREATE Led by Drs. Amit Bar-Or, Peter Merkel, Ali Naji, and Drew Weissman, CREATE will harness Penn’s existing infrastructure and expertise to develop next-generation mRNA-LNP-based cell therapies for complex autoimmune diseases. CREATE will design and test non-inflammatory, targeted constructs — manufactured under GMP conditions — to selectively modulate or deplete pathogenic immune cells and facilitate seamless integration of discovery, in vitro and animal studies, and early-phase clinical trials. Importantly, this Center will also provide a complementary focus to the existing Colton Center of Excellence in Cell Therapy for Autoimmunity (CECTA), led by Drs. David Porter and James Riley. Ultimately, CREATE aims to advance several novel RNA-LNP therapies to commercial development, offering transformative and potentially curative options for patients with diseases such as type 1 diabetes, lupus, multiple sclerosis, and other severe autoimmune conditions.
2024 Awardees
Center of Excellence for Cell Therapy in Autoimmunity (CECTA)
CECTA, led by Drs. Jim Riley and David Porter, was launched at the beginning of 2024 to support innovative new cell therapies for autoimmune disorders. Since its inception, CECTA has expanded its clinical portfolios, with four active clinical trials and several more in development. It has also established a robust biobanking infrastructure for collecting and storing samples from patients receiving cell therapy for autoimmune diseases, as well as a database and registry to manage biospecimens and associated data. CECTA has also developed an RFA mechanism to fund additional discovery projects in cell therapy for autoimmunity, with two candidates already identified for funding for the upcoming year. Due to its targeted approaches and resounding success, CECTA will be used as a model for how to rapidly implement innovative clinical trials and support discovery science. In the words of both Drs. Riley and Porter, “CAR T cell therapy may have a higher success rate for autoimmune disease than cancer.”