Asthma prevention study needs young children

By Diane Duke Williams

The School of Medicine is participating in a national study to determine if childhood asthma can be prevented.

The study, called Prevention of Early Asthma in Kids (PEAK), will look at whether treating children with wheezing early in life can prevent the development of asthma. A $5.4 million grant from the National Institutes of Health is funding the three-year study.

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Tina Oliver-Welker, research patient coordinator in pediatrics, shows Josh Pickett how to use an inhaler. A new study called Prevention of Early Asthma in Kids will test the effectiveness of a medication in preventing chronic asthma in children.

After stroke, brain images show language recovery

School of Medicine research- ers have imaged language areas of the brain during recovery from stroke. This glimpse into the brain's natural rehabilitation pattern could lead to a better understanding of normal language processes and help optimize stroke therapy.

The study was reported in a recent issue of the journal Neurology.

Each year, 750,000 Americans suffer a temporary loss of blood flow to the brain, known as an ischemic stroke. Patients often experience problems with speech and language, particularly after a stroke to the left side of the brain. Remarkably, many recover the majority of their language abilities within six to 12 months.

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Research fellowship program seeks applicants

The School of Medicine has received a new grant to support students taking a year off while in medical school to develop skills in clinical research.

Applications now are being accepted for the first round of participants in the Doris Duke Clinical Research Fellowship program.

The fellowship is the first in the United States to focus exclusively on clinical research at academic medical centers.

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