$464,580 Awarded for U of S Lung Research

Posted December 03, 2001


FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE - December 3, 2001 2001-12-01-OTHER

$464,580 Awarded for U of S Lung Research

Seven University of Saskatchewan researchers have received Saskatchewan Lung
Association (SLA) grants totaling $128,580 to study chronic obstructive
pulmonary disease (COPD) and other lung diseases.

As well, a five-year, $250,000 professorship and a one-time $50,000
equipment grant have been awarded to Dr. Darcy Marciniuk (Medicine) from a
COPD funding initiative developed by the SLA, both provincial universities
and health districts to further lung research.

"The funding allows me to dedicate a greater proportion of my time to
research," said Marciniuk. "These funds will also allow me to continue to
dedicate a significant part of my time to teaching within the college. We
hope that research undertaken in our division will eventually help all
patients with lung disease."

Marciniuk and physiotherapist Suzanne Sheppard have also been jointly
awarded $36,000 from the same initiative to support the development of a
pulmonary rehabilitation program in Saskatoon.

By 2020, it's expected chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) will be
the third leading cause of death worldwide. Currently, no cure exists and
the effects are irreversible.

This debilitating lung disease, often expressed as chronic bronchitis and
emphysema, impedes daily activities by causing severe shortness of breath.
Deaths from COPD have quadrupled since 1971. COPD is currently the fourth
leading cause of death in Canada.

The incidence of COPD in males has recently stabilized. But, it's estimated
the mortality rate in females will increase three-fold between 1996-2016 due
to smoking. At present, smokers make up 80 to 90 per cent of COPD cases.

U of S researchers awarded 2001 SLA research grants:

- Peter Bretscher (Microbiology) is testing low-dose vaccination strategies
against tuberculosis (TB) and will examine the differences between immune
states in healthy and TB-infected individuals in Honduras.

- John Gordon (Veterinary Microbiology) is assessing the potential to
reverse allergic disease using animal and 'in vitro' human models. The work
promises to help reduce allergic airway disease sensitivity and pathology.

- Thomas Hurst (Respiratory Medicine) with David Johnson (Medicine) will
investigate, using a rat model, whether pre-treatment with a particular
antibiotic (doxycycline) will lessen the damaging effects of high-volume
mechanical ventilation which is sometimes needed in respiratory patients.

- Darcy Marciniuk with Robert Skomro (both of Respiratory Medicine) will
examine the validity of various methods of evaluating respiratory system
function and capacity during exercise in patients with chronic airflow
limitation.

- Baljit Singh (Department of Veterinary Biomedical Sciences). Using rat
lung cells, he will assess the cellular and molecular mechanisms of lung
dysfunction associated with humans working in swine barns.

SLA executive-director Brian Graham says the professorship program and
research grants are essential in recruiting physicians from other provinces
and maintaining current ones. "They improve not only patient care, but also
teaching resources," he said.

The COPD initiative is one of many SLA programs that directly benefit
Saskatchewan residents, he said.

"The most valuable result of the lung association's ongoing support is that
residents of Saskatchewan will be assured they are receiving world-class
care for their lung diseases, right here at home," said Marciniuk.

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For more information, contact:

Kathryn Warden
Communications Officer
Office of the Vice-President (Research)
University of Saskatchewan
Tel: (306) 966-2506
FAX: (306) 966-2411