About Us

About Louisville APL

Drs. Pierangeli and Harris have worked in the field of antiphospholipid (aPL) antibodies for more than 25 years. Dr. Harris and collaborators developed the first assay for detection of anticardiolipin (aCL) antibodies in 1983 at the Hammersmith Hospital in London, UK. Subsequently, Dr Harris and his team established the units of measurement for aCL antibody testing (GPL, MPL) and the calibrators currently used universally in
anticardiolipin assays (“Harris” or “Louisville” standards). Dr Harris partnered with Drs Hughes and Gharavi in organising the first three International Congresses… 1984,86,88. Subsequently, Dr. Pierangeli and Harris established the units for measurement and calibrators for IgA aCL antibodies.

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     Silvia S. Pierangeli, PhD                                                               E. Nigel Harris, MD

Over the years, Drs Pierangeli and Harris organized and participated in numerous efforts to standardize tests for the detection of aPL antibodies and conducted research that lead to the discovery of the “APhL phospholipid mixture” utilized in the APhL ELISA® kit, shown to be a more specific and better assay for the diagnosis of the Antiphospholipid Syndrome (APS). Drs Harris and Pierangeli have published more than 200 papers jointly and independently, have co-authored numerous chapters and review papers and have edited books on APS. Dr Pierangeli and her international team of aPL experts are working on a reference material for anti-B2GPI measurement and on the establishment of international units for anti-B2GPI antibody detection. Dr. Pierangeli is currently a member of the SSC ISTH (Standardization Subcommittee on Phospholipid Dependant Antibodies of the International Society of Thrombosis and Heamostasis). Dr Harris organized the second international congress on aPL antibodies in Jan, 1988 in Kingston, Jamaica and Dr. Pierangeli hosted the 13th International Congress on aPL Antibodies in Galveston, TX in April 2010.