Time for another research update! Several interesting talks and meetings have happened over the last month. Do androids dream of electric sheep? Do sheep get neurodegenerative disorders? I don’t know the answer to the first question, but the answer to the second is definitely yes, based on a talk given back on October 4 by Dr. Nadia Mitchell, PhD and Prof. David N Palmer, PhD, faculty of Agriculture and Life Sciences at Lincoln University.
The talk was titled “The development of gene therapy for ovine neuronal ceroid lipofuscinoses”.
Neuronal ceroid lipofuscinoses, or Batten disease, is a rare devastating degenerative neurologic disorder that usually presents in infancy or childhood. There is no current cure for this disease. It is hoped that by understanding and developing therapies for the “sheep” version of the disease, we can develop similar therapies for the human form.
Another talk given by one of our own pediatric faculty was a discussion regarding a potential research project:
Examining neonatal early onset sepsis evaluations at LA County Birth Hospitals
Erin Fein, MD
Erin Fein, MD, gave a talk titled “Examining neonatal early onset sepsis evaluations at LA County Birth Hospitals”. Dr. Fein is interested in examining the outcomes of infants who underwent sepsis evaluations shortly after birth. Data regarding intermediate- and long-term outcomes of these infants is sorely lacking and further research regarding side-effects of both the work-up and antibiotic therapy often used in these cases is needed in order to provide optimal evidence-based care for these infants.
***
Finally, the American Academy of Pediatrics (AAP) National Conference and Exhibition is taking place from 10/22 through 10/25 in San Francisco, CA. As usual, Harbor Pediatrics is heavily represented with a number of our faculty, residents, and alumni attending.
Please be sure to add to your calendar up and coming events! One of these talks is being given by Scott Friedlander, an exceptional statistician that is working with our Health Services and Outcomes Network:
