Arresting
Asthma
(NC)-According to the Asthma Society of Canada, asthma kills
10 people every week and afflicts 10 per cent of the
Canadian population. Dr. Dean Befus, from the University of
Alberta, in collaboration with Dr. Alan Schreiber from the
University of Pennsylvania, are trying to arrest this
process. Asthma usually strikes people when they are
children, in the form of an allergic reaction to something.
The body develops an antibody that reacts in the form of
excess mucous or breathing difficulties. Dr. Schreiber
discovered that one gene helps this reaction is called the
Syk gene, and developed a way of blocking the inflammation.
Dr. Befus implemented a test on a lab rat and effectively
blocked the inflammation in the rat's allergic reaction to
egg shells. This could lead to promising new treatments for
asthmatics everywhere.
Their research is being funded by the Canadian Institutes of
Health Research (CIHR). CIHR is Canada's preeminent health
research catalyst and is funded by the government of Canada.
An exciting new concept, CIHR is modernizing and
transforming the health research enterprise in Canada.
To learn more about CIHR please visit: www.cihr.ca, e-mail:
info@cihr.ca or write to: CIHR, 410 Laurier Avenue West,
Ottawa ON K1A 0W9.
