Medical Student Research Fellowship for Summer 2003

Mentor: D. Hal Unwin
Department: Neurology
Room number: CS5-522
Mail Code: 8897
Phone number: 83256
E-mail: hunwin@mednet.swmed.edu
Project title: Clinical Studies in Stroke

Human subjects IRB approved project number (where applicable): On file in Clinical Trials
Animal subjects IRB approved project number (where applicable):

Project Type: patient-based research

Brief Description of Project:

This project will require the student to become proficient in identifying patients with non-disabling stroke for participation in secondary stroke prevention trials and will assist in obtaining informed consent. The student will be involved in screening of patients, including drawing blood. In addition, the student will become proficient in the neurologic exam using standardized scales for patient randomization (NIH Stroke Scale, Rankin scale, Barthel index, etc.). The student will also be required to be on call for a new acute stroke trial utilizing desmoteplase (derived from the saliva of the vampire bat) to assist in emergent workup and randomization.

The BNP comparison with TEE study initiated by last summer's student, Katrina Emmet, will be continued and completed for presentation and publication.

Ari Magill will be responsible for screening patients, obtaining patient consent, and performing blood draws on patients entered into the Warfarin Aspirin Symptomatic Intracranial Disease Trial. He will be trained to measure the areas of stenosis on the angiogram and record these for the case report forms (as well as to determine eligibility).

Craig Midgen will be responsible for screening all stroke patients, obtaining informed consent, and obtaining blood specimens for DNA analysis in the NIH funded Siblings With Ischemic Stroke Study. He will also be responsible for plasma separation and shipping of blood to the Mayo Clinic for analysis.

Collectively, the two students will continue to screen, consent, and obtain the data results in the TEE compared to BNP study. This study should be completed this summer and added to the 25 patients entered last summer. The students will be responsible for analyzing the data (including statistical calculations) and preparing for poster presentation and journal publication.

Previous Research Activities or Publications with Medical Students:

VISP - To be published late spring, early summer in JAMA
AAASPS - To be published late 2003

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