FYI from the NHLBI Index
February 2005: Vol. 5, Issue 3 Feature Articles
NHLBI Welcomes New Director
Cooperative Research Program for Improved Hemophilia Therapy
New Treatment Guidelines for Women with Asthma
NHLBI Welcomes New Director Elizabeth G. Nabel, M.D.
Effective February 1, Dr. Elizabeth Nabel assumed the position of Director,
NHLBI.
Dr. Nabel joined the NHLBI in 1999 as the Institute’s Scientific Director
of Clinical Research. Her many accomplishments in that position include initiation
of a state-of-the-art training and research program in cardiovascular surgery
and a program to investigate genetic variation among patients with vascular
diseases. During her time at the NHLBI, Dr. Nabel has also served as the chief
of the Institute’s Vascular Biology Section, directing research on the
molecular, cellular, and genetic mechanisms that cause vascular disorders. Her
lab, which has published more than 200 papers, has studied factors involved
in the regulation of vascular smooth muscle cell growth and vascular inflammation.
This research has opened up new avenues for therapeutic targets for vascular
diseases.
A native of Minneapolis, Minnesota, Dr. Nabel received her medical education
at Cornell University Medical College and then moved to Brigham and Women’s
Hospital and Harvard University where she completed an internship and residency
in internal medicine and a clinical and research fellowship in cardiovascular
medicine. She joined the faculty at the University of Michigan in 1987 as an
Assistant Professor of Medicine, and rose through the ranks, becoming Director
of the Cardiovascular Research Center in 1992, Professor of Internal Medicine
and Physiology in 1994, and Director of the Division of Cardiology in 1997.
While at the University of Michigan, she became known for her research in the
fields of vascular biology and molecular cardiology and for her gene transfer
studies in the cardiovascular system.
“I am honored to lead the NHLBI,” said Dr. Nabel. “The Institute
has a long and distinguished record in support of research on heart, lung, blood,
and sleep diseases. As we look to the future, there are unprecedented opportunities
to advance our understanding of these diseases and to improve upon the care
and treatment of the millions of people affected by them. The NHLBI will strive
to address these challenges through a research agenda that builds upon innovation,
creativity, and the most advanced biomedical technologies,” she added.
Cooperative Research Program for Improved Hemophilia Therapy
The NHLBI and the National Hemophilia Foundation (NHF) are implementing a cooperative
research program to improve treatments for bleeding disorders such as hemophilia
and von Willebrand disease. Together the NHLBI and the NHF will be able to fund
more highly meritorious applications than the NHLBI would be able to support
on its own.
The NHLBI will commit FY 2005 funds sufficient to support 4 to 5 awards under
the request for applications (RFA
HL 04-032). The NHF plans to support on its own an additional 4 to
5 new grants relevant to its mission. The new program will address the inadequacies
of current therapies by supporting research in several areas identified in discussions
with the Foundation.
Partnering with public interest organizations (PIOs) through a cooperative research
program is a model the NHLBI has used before with the Cystic Fibrosis Foundation.
This approach can be of mutual benefit when a research need is identified, the
scientific knowledge is sufficient to address it, and a PIO is interested in
working with the NHLBI. PIOs interested in exploring this type of program are
encouraged to contact Dr. Carl Roth at 301 496-6331 or rothc@nih.gov.
New Treatment Guidelines for Pregnant Women with Asthma
The National Asthma Education and Prevention Program (NAEPP), which is administered
by the NHLBI, issued new treatment guidelines for managing asthma during pregnancy.
The guidelines emphasize that controlling asthma during pregnancy is important
for the health and well-being of the mother as well as for the healthy development
of the fetus. A stepwise approach to asthma care similar to that used in the
NAEPP general asthma treatment guidelines for children and nonpregnant adults
is recommended. Under the approach, medication is stepped up in intensity if
needed, and stepped down when possible, depending on asthma severity. Because
asthma severity changes during pregnancy for most women, the guidelines also
recommend that clinicians who provide obstetric care monitor asthma severity
during prenatal visits. For more information, visit guidelines.
Please send us your feedback, comments, and questions by using the appropriate link on the page, Contact the NHLBI.
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