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Focus - Continued from Page 1
these methods, they have shown that dopamine metabolism is increased
in striatum and other brain nuclei during motor activity.
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As a direct result of their demonstration that dopamine release is
dynamically regulated during movement, Clinical Pharmacology faculty
embarked on studies of neurotransplantation in rats, monkeys, and
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humans to develop transplantation as a treatment for Parkinson's
disease. In 1988, with neurosurgical colleague Robert Breeze, M.D.,
they performed the first transplant of human fetal dopamine cells into
a Parkinson patient in the United States. That patient, now eleven
years post transplant, showed improvement in his Parkinson's disease.
Using these transplant methods, Dr. Freed and his colleagues have
conducted a double-blind, placebo-controlled surgical trial of fetal
dopamine cell transplants. When subdivided by age, growth of
transplant by F-dopa PET scan was the same in patients older and
younger than age 60; however, only the group under age 60 showed
clinical benefit. They concluded that cultured human fetal dopamine
cell transplants survive and improve signs of advanced Parkinson's
disease in younger patients even without immunosuppression.
Dr. Freed and his colleagues
have conducted a double-
blind, placebo-controlled
surgical trial of fetal
dopamine cell transplants.
From in vitro and in vivo studies, Clinical Pharmacology
researchers have found that programmed cell death, or apoptosis, is
the primary problem limiting dopamine cell survival after transplant.
They have shown that growth factors such as bFGF, IGF-1 and GDNF can
reduce the apoptopic rate. They are now developing genetically
modified cells capable of synthesizing and storing dopamine as an
alternative to the use of fetal brain cells.
They plan to continue this spectrum of research in rodents, monkeys
and humans with the goal of developing a transplant cure for
Parkinson's disease.
v
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Funding Opportunities in Aging |
Title: |
Glenn Foundation/AFAR Scholarships for Research in the Biology
of Aging
|
Agencies: |
Glenn Foundation; American Federation for Aging Research
and Digestive and Kidney Disease
|
Deadline: |
February 25, 2000 |
Web site: |
www.afar.org/glenngrnt.html |
|
Title: |
AFAR Research Grants
|
Agencies: |
American Federation for Aging Research |
Deadline: |
December 15, 1999 |
Web site: |
www.afar.org/afar99.html |
|
Title: |
AFAR/Pfizer Research Grants in Cardiovascular Diseases and Aging
|
Agencies: |
American Federation for Aging Research; Pfizer, Inc. |
Deadline: |
December 15, 1999 |
Web site: |
www.usalert.com/htdoc/usoa/fnd/any/any/proc/any/afar10029801.htm |
|
Title: |
Planning Grants for Biomedical Epidemiologic and Intervention
Studies
|
Agencies: |
National Institute on Aging; National Institute of Environment
Health Sciences |
PA Number: |
PA-99-145 |
Web site: |
www.usalert.com/htdoc/usoa/nih/nia/any/proc/any/08209912.htm |
|
Title: |
General Grants Program - Retirement Research Foundation
|
Agencies: |
Retirement Research Foundation |
Deadline: |
February 1, 2000 |
Web site: |
www.usalert.com/htdoc/usoa/fnd/any/any/proc/any/rrfo04299801.htm |
|
Title: |
Longitudinal Genetic Epidemiologic Studies on Aging
|
Agencies: |
National Institute on Aging; National Institute of Environmental
Health Sciences
|
Deadline: |
January 12, 2000 |
RFA: |
AG-99-007 |
Web site: |
www.usalert.com/htdoc/usoa/nih/nia/any/proc/any/05079905.htm |
|
Title: |
Aging Women and Breast Cancer
|
Agencies: |
National Institute on Aging; National Cancer Institute; National Institute of Nursing Research
|
PA Number: |
PA-00-001 |
Web site: |
www.usalert.com/htdoc/fed/nih/gen/any/proc/any/10089904.htm |
|
Title: |
John A. Hartford/AFAR Academic Geriatrics Fellowship Program
|
Agencies: |
John A. Hartford Foundation; American Federation for Aging Research
|
Deadline: |
February 18, 2000 |
Web site: |
www.afar.org/fellows.html |
|
Title: |
John A. Hartford/AFAR Medical Student Geriatric Scholars Program
|
Agencies: |
John A. Hartford Foundation; American Federation for Aging Research
|
Deadline: |
February 7, 2000 |
Web site: |
www.afar.org/medstu.html |
|
Title: |
Merck/AFAR Research Scholarships in Geriatric Pharmacology for
Medical and Pharmacy Students
|
Agencies: |
Merck Company Foundation; American Federation for Aging Research
|
Deadline: |
January 21, 2000 |
Web site: |
www.afar.org/merckstu.html |
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