Request for Funding

Medical Student Research Fellowship for Summer 2001

Mentor: Connie C.W. Hsia, M.D.

Department: Internal Medicine / Pulmonary

Room number: H8.122A

Mail Code: 9034

Phone number: 8-3426

E-mail: Connie.Hsia@utsouthwestern.edu

Project title: Effect of retinoic acid on regenerative lung growth

Human subjects IRB approved project number (where applicable):

Animal subjects IRB approved project number (where applicable): 0478-00-02-1

Project Type (patient-based research, animal-based research, or basic research; this characterization is only to permit a general classification for grouping similar types of projects)

Patient-based

Brief Description of Project:

In an adult animal after surgical resection of more than 50% of lung, regenerative growth occurs in the remaining lung to a limited degree. To test the hypothesis that regenerative lung growth can be enhanced by retinoic acid, an important regulator of cell differentiation and growth, we will administer retinoic acid to adult dogs before and after removal of the right lung. At different time points, the lung will be harvested by biopsy or at post-mortem for examination of structural growth and the expression of retinoic acid receptor, growth factors and their receptors. The student will participate in chest surgery, histological, immunohistochemical and immunoassay studies.

Project title: Cardiopulmonary limitation to exercise after pneumonectomy

Human subjects IRB approved project number (where applicable): 0290 04300

Animal subjects IRB approved project number (where applicable):

Project Type (patient-based research, animal-based research, or basic research; this characterization is only to permit a general classification for grouping similar types of projects)

Patient-based

Brief Description of Project:

Pneumonectomy or major lung resection leads to multiple adaptive changes in the remaining lung, airways, respiratory muscles and in the cardiovascular system. We found previously that the heart is the major organ limiting exercise capacity in patients after pneumonectomy who have a relatively normal remaining lung. This project will further define the physiological interaction between cardiac and pulmonary factors during exercise. Patients and normal control subjects will be studied during graded ergometer exercise, and cardiopulmonary function will be measured by a non-invasive rebreathing method. Results will be correlated with anatomical changes assessed by magnetic resonance imaging of the thorax. The student will participate in all phases of the study including data acquisition and analysis.

Previous Research Activities or Publications with Medical Students:

1999 Summer Medical Student Project, Samson Leung. Effect of retinoic acid on regenerative lung growth.

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