Role of Mouse Allergen in Childhood Asthma

Children'S Hospital Boston, Boston MA

Investigators

Linked publications & trials

Abstract

[unreadable] DESCRIPTION (provided by applicant): The purpose of this K23 Award is to propose a training plan to develop Wanda Phipatanakul, MD into a successful independent clinical investigator with a focus in the role of indoor allergens on childhood asthma development and morbidity. Dr. Phipatanakul is a board-certified pediatrician and allergist/immunologist with prior research experience in indoor allergens and allergic respiratory disease. Her career development plan includes formal didactic training emphasizing the analytical and practical skills involved in designing and conducting longitudinal observational trials and clinical intervention trials. Her development plan includes: 1) formal educational coursework that will provide her with a Masters in Science of Clinical Science and training in dust sample analyses for allergen levels, 2) collaboration of supportive mentors and advisors in an excellent environment conducive for career development, and 3) application of her formal training and mentorship into her research proposal. Her long-term goal is to combine her background with this further training to become a successful independent clinical investigator. Her research proposal plans to further evaluate the role of mouse allergen in childhood asthma. Her preliminary studies have shown that mouse allergens may be potentially important and have not been well-studied. The aims in Part A of her proposal are to learn about longitudinal observation trials through an established birth cohort of 505 infants from atopic families in the Home Allergens Study (PI Diane Gold, Primary Mentor). She aims to evaluate whether: 1) report of mouse will predict increased mouse allergen levels in house dust samples and 2) report of mouse exposure and actual mouse allergen levels will predict development of asthma and 3) atopic sensitization. The aims in Part B of her proposal focus on learning from her pilot Mouse Allergen Intervention Study where she aims to: 1) evaluate her data to determine if her intervention decreased allergen levels, 2) obtain preliminary information on asthma morbidity and lung function and evaluate the limitations of her study given the structure and sample size of her pilot, 3) and design a plan to extend her pilot study into a more broad scaled Boston-targeted asthma intervention trial incorporating community advocates and resources. This will help her translate knowledge gained from her research into direct community benefit. [unreadable] [unreadable]