Cracchiolo Institute

Welcome to the Daniel Cracchiolo Institute for Pediatric Autoimmune Disease Research

The Daniel Cracchiolo Institute for Pediatric Autoimmune Disease Research was established with a generous gift from the Steele Foundation to the University of Arizona. The gift included the establishment of the Daniel Cracchiolo Endowed Chair for Pediatric Autoimmune Disease Research, the Pamela Grant Endowed Professorship, the Fayez K. Ghishan Endowed Professorship, and provides financial support for graduate students and postdoctoral researchers.

1(From left) John-Paul Roczniak, president and CEO of the University of Arizona Foundation, Fayez K. Ghishan, MD, director of the Steele Children’s Research Center, Marianne Cracchiolo Mago, president and CEO of the Steele Foundation, and University of Arizona President Robert C. Robbins, MD

(From left) John-Paul Roczniak, president and CEO of the University of Arizona Foundation, Fayez K. Ghishan, MD, director of the Steele Children’s Research Center, Marianne Cracchiolo Mago, president and CEO of the Steele Foundation, and University of Arizona President Robert C. Robbins, MD

 

Our Vision

The Institute will serve as a collaborative platform for physicians and scientists within and outside the Department of Pediatrics and the Steele Children’s Research Center as they work to advance knowledge and understanding of autoimmune and inflammatory disorders affecting children. We will achieve this vision by fueling research with clinical applications in pediatric autoimmune disease and fostering the development of researchers with expertise in this discipline.

Research Focus

Autoimmune diseases are increasingly prevalent worldwide and disproportionately impact women and children. These diseases are influenced by genetic predisposition and environmental factors.

  • The role of genes: While autoimmune diseases typically involve multiple genes, single-gene mutations have been identified in some cases.
  • Environmental factors: Although still a subject of intense investigation, environmental factors contributing to these chronic disorders include diet, gut microbiota, infections, stress, and environmental toxins.

Common Pediatric Autoimmune Diseases

  • Juvenile Idiopathic Arthritis (JIA): This is a group of chronic inflammatory joint conditions that can begin before the age of 16. JIA includes several subtypes, each with different symptoms and prognoses.
  • Type 1 Diabetes: This autoimmune disease occurs when the immune system attacks and destroys insulin-producing cells in the pancreas. It usually develops in childhood or adolescence.
  • Systemic Lupus Erythematosus (SLE): Lupus is a chronic autoimmune disease that can affect various parts of the body, including the skin, joints, kidneys, heart, lungs, brain, blood cells and liver.
  • Celiac Disease: In this autoimmune disorder, the immune system reacts to gluten, a protein found in wheat, barley and rye. This reaction damages the lining of the small intestine, leading to malabsorption of nutrients.
  • Rheumatic Fever: This condition can occur after a streptococcal throat infection and may lead to inflammation of the joints, skin and heart valves.
  • Inflammatory Bowel Disease (IBD): Conditions like Crohn’s disease and ulcerative colitis are autoimmune disorders that cause inflammation in the digestive tract.
  • Autoimmune Thyroiditis (Hashimoto’s Disease and Graves’ Disease): These disorders involve the immune system attacking the thyroid gland, leading to either underactivity (hypothyroidism) or overactivity (hyperthyroidism) of the thyroid.
  • Dermatomyositis: This is a rare inflammatory disease that causes muscle weakness and skin rash.

 

Daniel F. Cracchiolo formal portraitAbout Daniel F. Cracchiolo

Arizona attorney Daniel F. Cracchiolo was the founder, chairman, and CEO of the Steele Foundation. In 1992, the foundation’s original investment of $2 million established the Steele Children’s Research Center, the first pediatric research center in Arizona, in honor of benefactors Horace and Ethel Steele. At the time, this naming gift was the largest commitment the foundation had ever made.

“My dad was deeply loved and respected, a force of nature, and a die-hard Wildcat. In 1992, he helped establish a children’s research center bearing the Steele name, and this was deeply gratifying to him. Today, it’s my dad’s turn to be recognized through the creation of the Daniel Cracchiolo Institute at Steele Children’s Research Center.” 
~ Marianne Cracchiolo Mago, president and CEO of the Steele Foundation