UA Doctor Mark Brown Continues Asthma Research Through
American Lung Association Award
Why do children born to mothers with asthma have a significantly higher risk of developing asthma than if only the father has asthma? One reason Arizona Respiratory Center Pediatric Pulmonologist Mark Brown, M.D., will investigate with a new grant from the American Lung Association of Arizona relates to changes in the environment of the womb before birth.
Dr. Brown's research at the University of Arizona looks at changes in the woman's immune system during pregnancy. A critical element of the immune system is known as T-cells. These cells seem to play a key role in the body's responses to environmental factors leading to asthma as well as other allergic diseases such as eczema. Changes in the immune systems of babies born to mothers with asthma seem to involve this special type of immune cells.
"This grant from the American Lung Association will allow me to further our understanding of the interaction between a pregnant mother and her developing baby. The ultimate benefit of this area of research will be to allow us to identify at birth those babies who are at high risk of developing asthma so that we can intervene early and treat this disease more effectively. Some day we may even be able to intervene during pregnancy to prevent the development of asthma and allergic diseases," says Dr. Brown.
"The American Lung Association is proud to make this award to Dr. Brown. Research, along with education and advocacy, is one of the pillars of the Lung Associations' mission to fight lung disease. Dr. Brown's research at the Arizona Respiratory Center has a goal that both our organizations share: understanding the causes and modes of the development of lung disease so that it can be attacked and hopefully, one day, prevented from developing in the first place, " says Bill Pfeifer, President and CEO of the American Lung Association of Arizona.
The Arizona Respiratory Center was established in 1971 as an interdisciplinary Center of Excellence at the University of Arizona College of Medicine. The Respiratory Center is dedicated to research, teaching and clinical care in adult and pediatric pulmonary disease and is internationally known for its research into the causes and modes of development of asthma, chronic obstructive lung disease and sleep apnea.
The American Lung Association of Arizona was established in 1912 and is working for improvements in asthma, air quality and tobacco control. The Lung Association targets these areas through research, education and advocacy.
|
