The Samara Jan Turkel Foundation supports much need research in the areas of Pediatric Autoimmune Diseases throughout the world.

In one such case, the world-renowned American Committee for the Weizmann Institute of Science developed a unique approach for halting the progression of Type1 (Juvenile or insulin-depedent) Diabetes. A group headed by Dr. Irun Cohen developed a vaccine. One of the researchers in his team, Dr. Vitaly Ablamunits played an important role in the development of the vaccine. Dr. Ablamunits was the recipient of The Samara Jan Turkel Scholarship for Autoimmu Diseases during the years of 1997 - 1999. The results of his study was written up in Clerical and Experimental Immunology (volume 115:260-267).

The results of the work of Dr. Cohen and his team were published in the November 24, 2001 issue of The Lancet. Here is a summary of this reseach.

The Foundation is supporting three research laboratories at North Shore-Long Island Jewish Hospital, a leading center in Biomedical and Clinical Reseach.

The Foundation has established The Samara Jan Turkel Clinical Center for Pediatric Autoimmune Disease at Children's Hospital Boston - the premiere pediatric healthcare and reseach facility in the country.