New ME/CFS researchers in Bham, AL, goal is center of excellence

[usedtobeperkytina]

Read the exciting news here: http://www.uab.edu/news/focus-on-pa...ch-program-to-combat-chronic-pain-and-fatigue

Be sure to sign up to receive news from the lab if you live close by. Share it everywhere!

 

[Helen]

Thanks. Interesting research.

 

[Sushi]

Read the exciting news here: http://www.uab.edu/news/focus-on-pa...ch-program-to-combat-chronic-pain-and-fatigue

“We believe that in many cases when someone is suffering from chronic pain or fatigue, they may be suffering from low-level inflammation in their brain,” Younger said. “We are investigating ways to return the brain to its normal state.”

Younger brings with him two postdoctoral fellows — Joanne Lin, Ph.D., a pharmacist and neuroimaging specialist, and Luke Parkitny, Ph.D., a researcher in chronic pain immunology.

The team uses recently developed technologies in immune testing, neuroimaging and pharmacology to better understand the reasons people develop chronic pain and fatigue. They also are testing new treatments for those disorders.

 

[maryb]

Oh shucks.........great for those of you in the USA. I read Birmingham and thought it was the UK, I did a big wow and then......not here of course, as if????

 

[Sushi]

I read Birmingham and thought it was the UK, I did a big wow and then......not here of course, as if????

I used to work at that medical center, hmmm, progress in unexpected places!

Sushi

 

[Bob]

Read the exciting news here: http://www.uab.edu/news/focus-on-pa...ch-program-to-combat-chronic-pain-and-fatigue

Be sure to sign up to receive news from the lab if you live close by. Share it everywhere!

Younger’s Neuroinflammation, Pain and Fatigue Laboratory will be conducting several research projects in the Birmingham area. The first large study, funded by the National Institutes of Health, will explore chemicals in the blood that may overly sensitize the brain’s immune system, causing pain and fatigue. Younger’s group recently found that an inflammatory chemical released by fat tissue, called leptin, might be involved in chronic pain and fatigue, especially in women.

The laboratory will be recruiting people with several different chronic pain and fatigue conditions, including fibromyalgia, chronic fatigue syndrome, which is also known as myalgic encephalomyelitis, and Gulf War Illness.

 

[Gingergrrl]

I used to work at that medical center, hmmm, progress in unexpected places! Sushi

It looks like the main doctor trained at Stanford so he must have worked with Dr. Montoya (I am speculating and didn't see this in the article unless I missed it) which is amazing! It sounds like a great center!

Now if the medical center where I used to work (which I won't name) were to start a center like this, I think I would drop dead from shock...

 

[Sushi]

Younger’s group recently found that an inflammatory chemical released by fat tissue, called leptin, might be involved in chronic pain and fatigue, especially in women.

The most interesting piece of new information was about the super cytokine Leptin. One of the professors at Stanford measured the cytokine level, including Leptin, daily on a large number of patients. He had them fill in a questioner about how they felt each day and then matched their blood work to the answers. What he found was that the Leptin levels would rise or fall consistent with the patients level of fatigue. Apparently Leptin is a pro inflammatory cytokine.

 

[Lou]

I used to work at that medical center, hmmm, progress in unexpected places!

Sushi

I thought UAB enjoyed an excellent reputation for some time now. My Dad had prognosis to live five years, they kept him alive for fifteen.

My parents loved the place and the staff.

 

[Sushi]

I thought UAB enjoyed an excellent reputation for some time now.

They have had a great reputation but nothing to offer ME/CFS patients--until now!

Sushi

 

[Bob]

I've come across Jarred Younger, the lab director, quite a lot over the past few months in relation to ME.
If you do a Google search for "Jarred Younger CFS", it throws up lots of info.

And there's been quite a lot of discussion about his research on Phoenix Rising:
http://forums.phoenixrising.me/index.php?search/16743474/&q=jarred+younger&o=date

There's a video presentation here (video 2):
http://mecfs.stanford.edu/2014SymposiumVideo.html

And a research paper here:
http://www.translational-medicine.com/content/11/1/93

 

[Wally]

FYI - University of Alabama (UA) is where Carol Duffy is located. She is the researcher who is working with Dr. Pridgen on his anti-viral/Celebrex study.

The University of Alabama System consists of three public universities in Alabama, USA: The University of Alabama (UA) located in Tuscaloosa, The University of Alabama at Birmingham (UAB), and The University of Alabama in Huntsville (UAH). . . . The University of Alabama (also known as Alabama, or colloquially as 'Bama) is the flagship school of the University of Alabama System. . . The University of Alabama at Birmingham (also nationally known as UAB) is a doctoral, public research university covering 83 blocks in the heart of Alabama's largest city Birmingham, Alabama, USA

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/University_of_Alabama_System. . .

 

[Denise]

Read the exciting news here: http://www.uab.edu/news/focus-on-pa...ch-program-to-combat-chronic-pain-and-fatigue

Be sure to sign up to receive news from the lab if you live close by. Share it everywhere!

I wonder what prompted him (them) to leave a place as prestigious as Stanford.

 

[Sushi]

University of Alabama (UA) is where Carol Duffy is located. She is the researcher who is working with Dr. Pridgen on his anti-viral/Celebrex study.

As I remember, Dr. Pridgen is in Tuscaloosa whereas UAB is in Birmingham.

Sushi

 

[usedtobeperkytina]

Yes, UAB is in Birmingham. Pridgen and UA is in Tuscaloosa, about 1.5 hours away, maybe less. You'll remember Tuscaloosa is where the massive tornado went through in 2011, killing over 240 across the state, but a big portion of them in Tuscaloosa. UA is also home of the Crimson Tide football team, winning many national championships. Older folks will remember Paul Bear Bryant and Joe Namath. It is a business-oriented college.

UAB is in downtown Birmingham. They are more known for the associated hospitals and more recently clinics. They have a university with a variety of fields. But because of the hospitals, nursing and medicine is big at UAB. Medical research is big there also. The hospital was known as one of top three for bypass surgeries. AIDS treatment and research is big there. Just last week they announced researchers found a cure for diabetes in mice. They are 27th in the nation in NIH research funding. UAB is one of the sites for the pain education centers of excellence.

We in AL know of its impact and prestige on medicine and research. But it goes unnoticed by most of world. Now, they are getting into our diseases.

Some factors that influenced Younger is the tenure program offered at UAB is more attractive than Stanford. I don't know if this influenced him, but he is originally from a very small town in Tenn. Maybe he missed sweet tea. Also, UAB is willing to have him be over something that he creates. Montoya has his thing going good, but Younger can do a big thing of his own at UAB. It's a great professional opportunity.