Sima Asfa, BS Lab Animal Technician III
Mailing Address: 941 Stanton L. Young Blvd., BSEB 314 Oklahoma City, OK 73104	Telephone: (405) 271-5896 ext 48420 Fax: (405) 271-3973
Email: sima-asfa@ouhsc.edu

Research Interests

1. Autoimmune diseases, mainly Sjögren’s syndrome (SS) and systemic lupus erythematosus (SLE).
2. Diabetes and related field, currently genotyping different knocked out genes mice. 
3. Finding a link between SS and SLE autoimmune diseases in which the immune system targets self-constituents. In SS, two major moisture producing glands, lacrimal and salivary glands are mainly affected organs which results in dry eyes and dry mouth, clinically known as keratoconjunctivitis sicca and xerostomia. Our laboratory has developed a new animal model of SS. This is a common autoimmune rheumatic disorder in which there is autoimmune targeting of the salivary and lacrimal glands. Most people with the disease have antibodies in their sera binding the Ro and La proteins.

Education

Anil D'souza, Sima Asfa, Yaser Dorri, Biji T. Kurien and R. Hal Scofield. Time Line of Salivary Flow Dysfunction and Pathology in a Sjogrens Syndrome Mouse Model. Arthritis and Rheumatism, 2006.

Scofield RH, Asfa S, Obeso D, Jonsson R, Kurien BT. Immunization with short peptides from the 60-kDa Ro antigen recapitulates the serological and pathological findings as well as the salivary gland dysfunction of Sjogren's syndrome. J Immunol. 175(12):8409-14, Dec 2005.

Kurien BT, Asfa S, Dorri Y, D'Souza A, Hensley K, Scofield RH. Accelerated induction of Sjögren’s syndrome by immunization with 4-hydroxy-2-nonenal modified 60 kD Ro. Arthritis and Rheumatism 52 (9): S371-S371 947, Suppl. S, Sep 2005.

Asfa S, Li C, D'Souza A, Dorri Y, Kurien BT, Scofield RH. Induction of salivary gland dysfunction in naive mice by transfer of anti-Ro 274 IgG from mice with Sjögren’s like syndrome. Arthritis and Rheumatism 52 (9): S370-S370 944, Suppl. S, Sep 2005.

Iqbal S, Kurien BT, Dorri Y, D'Souza A, Asfa S, Singh A, Matsumoto H, Scofield RH. Salivary protein profile and antibodies to 60 kD Ro and the lipid peroxidation product 4 hydroxy-2-nonenal-modified 60 kD Ro in the saliva of an animal model of Sjögren’s syndrome. Arthritis and Rheumatism 52 (9): S279-S279 686, Suppl. S Sep 2005.

Kurien BT, Asfa S, Li C, Dorri Y, Jonsson R, Scofield RH. Induction of oral tolerance in experimental Sjögren’s Syndrome autoimmunity. Scand J Immunol. 61(5):418-25, May 2005.