Faculty research encompasses both clinical and basic arenas. The research interests of P. Ronald Clisham, M.D., include the study of menopause with respect to developing new and safe methods for hormone replacement. He is also studying the utility of x-ray and ultrasound technology for the diagnosis and treatment of osteoporosis.
Gabriella Pridjian, M.D., Chairman of the Department holds an adjunct appointment in the Department of Pediatrics and is a member of the Human Genetics Program, Hayward Genetics Center. Her areas of research include management of maternal PKU and prevention of fetal embryopathy due to uncontrolled maternal PKU. In conjunction with researchers in the School of Public Health, she is studying the effects of Hurricane Katrina on pregnancy outcome.
Along with Ob/Gyn Research Scientist Kenneth F. Swan, M.S., and in collaboration with the Department of Tropical Medicine, Center for Infectious Diseases, Dr. Pridjian is also exploring the effects of West Nile virus infection during pregnancy (www.WestNilePregnancy.net). This is an ongoing study funded by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, CDC. This study involves both clinical and basic science research. The clinical side involves the study of women who are pregnant and become infected with West Nile virus. Problems occurring during their pregnancy due to West Nile infection, along with the body’s inflammatory response will be noted and investigated. Children from these pregnancies will be given Bayley’s Developmental Assessment Exam along with an eye exam between the ages of 18-36 months. Cord blood will be tested at birth for IgM antibodies to determine if the virus had crossed the placenta during pregnancy and infected the child. Also at birth a small portion of the placenta, fetal membranes and umbilical cord will be collected for the basic science arm of the study. These tissues will be tested for virus in IgM positive cord blood samples, along with an analysis of inflammatory and pregnancy associated genes. This study also involves the co-culture of human placental trophoblast cells with West Nile virus. Foremost, at the end of this study, the CDC would like to have in place clinical recommendations for the care of infected pregnant women and their children.
Pui (Joan) Cheng, M.D., section of Gynecologic Oncology and Kenneth F. Swan, M.S. are currently involved with investigating the role of Leptin, Grelin, Adiponectin, and their respective receptors in endometrial cancer. This research was funded in part by the Cancer Association of Greater New Orleans. This study involves the quantitation of mRNA by Real-Time PCR. Clinical data, such as BMI and stage of disease, will be used in the analysis.
Dr. Cheng is also Co-principal Investigator with Tyler Curiel, M.D., M.P.H., Department of Internal Medicine, section of Hematology and Medical Oncology, in the Phase II trial of the drug Ontak to treat epithelial ovarian cancer. This study tests the hypothesis that Ontak improves tumor immunity by killing regulatory T cells (Tregs), and will thereby treat selected patients with advanced-stage epithelial ovarian cancers. She is also Co-principal Investigator with Dr. Curiel on the Phase I/II dose escalation trial of Ontak to enhance tumor immunity in patients with cancer. This trial hypothesizes that reducing the number of circulating CD4+ CD25+ regulatory T cells will enhance tumor immunity in patients with cancer.
Dr. Cheng, along with Ob/Gyn Research Nurse Luz Hernandez, R.N., M.B.A., are also involved in national chemotherapy drug studies, and collects malignant gynecologic tissue and sera for the Gynecologic Oncology Group Tissue Bank in Columbus, OH.
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