Clinical Core

Cleveland Clinic Lerner Com-Cwru, Cleveland OH

Investigators

Linked publications & trials

Abstract

The Clinical Core (Core B) component of this PPG will provide the clinical expertise and organization[unreadable] necessary to accomplish the studies involving human subjects that are proposed in the projects within this[unreadable] PPG. The core will be responsible for subject recruitment and communication, clinical specimen collection,[unreadable] subject characterization through clinical data acquisition and subject follow-up. The Clinical Core will interact[unreadable] intimately with the Tissue Processing and Cell Culture Core C to ensure distribution of clinical samples and[unreadable] data to program investigators. In this capacity, the clinical core will function as a collective resource to the[unreadable] PPG that will facilitate accomplishment of each of the three projects and also promote interaction between[unreadable] the different projects to glean the most information from valuable clinical samples. Following recruitment,[unreadable] the core will use a variety of clinical parameters to divide subjects into four well-defined subgroups: 1) nonallergic,[unreadable] non-asthmatic normal volunteers, 2) allergic non-asthmatics, 3) non-allergic asthmatics, and 4)[unreadable] allergic asthmatics. The volunteers will undergo a comprehensive evaluation including pulmonary function[unreadable] testing, allergy skin testing, blood testing and exhaled gas measurements. Select volunteers will also[unreadable] undergo outpatient flexible fiberoptic bronchoscopy. Through this procedure the core will obtain airway[unreadable] specimens including mucosal brushings, bronchoalveolar lavage fluid, and endobronchial biopsy tissue.[unreadable] These specimens will allow the core to assess parameters of airway inflammation and will be further[unreadable] processed by the Tissue Processing and Cell Culture Core C for use by all three PPG projects. For all of the[unreadable] studies within the PPG utilizing human subject samples, the clinical core will be responsible for assuring[unreadable] subject safety, data confidentiality and full regulatory compliance.