Emily Foundation Extends Funding for Dr. Shapiro’s Groundbreaking Research
The Emily Foundation is pleased to announce an extension of funding for Dr. Leland Shapiro, whose groundbreaking research continues to redefine our understanding of the immune response in infectious disease. Over the past several years, Dr. Shapiro has challenged one of the most deeply held assumptions in critical-care medicine: that an overactive immune system, or so-called “cytokine storm,” is the primary driver of mortality in sepsis and COVID-19.
Dr. Shapiro’s powerful series of evidence-based studies — ranging from comprehensive cytokine meta-analyses to his provocative publication “Chasing the Ghost: Hyperinflammation Does Not Cause Sepsis” — are helping to lead a quiet revolution. The medical field has been misled by this seductive but oversimplified and costly narrative to treat inflammation that may not be there. There is a need for a new paradigm.
This funding extension reflects our deep confidence in Dr. Shapiro’s vision and our commitment to providing sustained support that will enable him to complete and disseminate the next major phase of his research. This includes completing a novel theory of inflammation and a full exposition of a new sepsis theoretical paradigm.
With this continued support, The Emily Foundation affirms its commitment to funding science that is unafraid to ask hard questions — driven by a clear mission: improving patient outcomes through clarity and unrestricted inquiry.