The Generosity and Awareness of Melanie Rieder

Center for Celiac Research Laboratory Named In Her Honor

The new celiac research laboratory in the University of Maryland School of Medicine’s Health Sciences Facility II is named not after a prominent physician in the field, nor after a pioneer in celiac research. It is named for Melanie Rieder, who was diagnosed with the disease at the age of 12. Her family was so pleased with the care Melanie received that they decided to make a generous gift to the Center for Celiac Research.

The dedication is most appropriate considering that Melanie, like most who suffer from celiac disease, was not aware that she had the disease. But now that it has been diagnosed, she is determined to increase public awareness, especially among children. She is planning a special brochure targeted at youth to help mitigate their response to the disease and help them cope.

When Melanie was diagnosed with celiac disease, her parents sought the best celiac research and treatment center in the nation. Their inquiries led them to the Center for Celiac Research at the University of Maryland, and its medical director Dr. Alessio Fasano. Dr. Fasano shared his experience and knowledge of the disease and helped the family better understand the unwelcome disease affecting their lives.

The Rieders were keenly interested in the research that was being done at the Center, including a clinical trial for a possible medication to treat celiac disease. It is hoped that the pill - taken prior to eating - will offset the effects of the disease. As the Rieders learned more, they decided to make a donation that would help the Center carry out its research mission.

“Our remarkable success can in large part be traced directly to the families of grateful patients, such as the Rieders,” says Pam King, director of operations at the Center for Celiac Research. “Their generosity gives us the resources we need to continue making real progress in the field."

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