Pulmonology

Research Activities

Asthma
Asthma is a major public health problem that disproportionately affects children living inner-cities. Our research has looked at environmental and psychosocial factors affecting outcome as well as issues of health care delivery. Clinical Trial of Chinese Herbal Therapy in Asthma Patients

• Inner-City Asthma Consortium; - Meyer Kattan (PI of sub-contract);(NIAID) Goals: to understand allergic mechanisms in the development of asthma and to develop immune-mediated interventions. Ongoing investigations include:
  1. Inner-city Anti IgE Therapy for Asthma
  2. Urban Environment and Childhood Asthma
  3. Obesity and asthma
• The Efficacy of Written Treatment Plans for Asthma; Principal Investigator – David Evans, PhD; Co-Principal Investigator – Beverley J. Sheares, MD (NIH/NHLBI; RO1 HL073955-05)

• The Cystic Fibrosis Center is part of the Cystic Fibrosis Foundation Therapeutics Development Network (TDN) which participates in clinical trials of novel therapies for CF.
• The Center is also involved in investigator initiated studies of the microbiologic complications of CF with a specific interest in the implications of MRSA and CF and the respiratory microbiology of infants with CF identified by newborn screening.

• Characterization of Endogenous Melatonin Profiles in Children with Autism Spectrum Disorders; Principal Investigator – Carin Lamm, MD (Autism Speaks)
• Racial and Ethnic Differences in Childhood Sleep Behaviors; Principal Investigator – Beverley Sheares, MD (NIH_NHLBI)

• Natural History Study of Spinal Muscular Atrophy (funded by PNCR consortium)
• Pilot Study of In-Home Pulmonary and Motor Function Monitoring in Spinal Muscular Atrophy (funded by Dept of Defense)