The overall goal of this patient-oriented career development award is to contribute to the academic and research development of Dr. Jennifer Friedman in order to facilitate her transition into an independent investigator. Dr. Friedman is a pediatrician committed to promoting the health of children in the developing world. Her training in pediatrics combined with experience carrying out human population studies overseas constitutes a unique framework upon which to build. The Brown University International Health Institute provides an intellectually vibrant and supportive environment in which Dr. Friedman will further her research training. She will be supported by an accomplished and committed team of mentors who apply diverse tools to advancing the health of children in the developing world. Under their tutelage, Dr. Friedman will implement a research plan that will 1) contribute to our understanding of the mechanisms of S. Japonicum associated morbidity and 2) provide Dr. Friedman with the practical experience needed to carry out a complex overseas study with vulnerable subjects. This award will also provide Dr. Friedman with the necessary time to obtain additional formal training in epidemiologic and statistical methods for population based studies, host-parasite pathobiology and immunology, and research methodology for assessing the health and well being of children and adolescents in the developing world. This training will allow Dr. Friedman to bring a multi-disciplinary approach to our understanding of the mechanisms of parasite associated morbidity and the most effective ways to limit it. In summary, the concrete short term goals of this proposal are to 1) provide Dr. Friedman with further field experience in the developing world implementing a multi-faceted study 2) provide further training in the aforementioned disciplines through superb mentorship, formal coursework, and seminar and national meeting attendance 3) produce 5-6 manuscripts that will contribute to a developing body of knowledge regarding parasite associated morbidity and 4) provide preliminary data to allow Dr. Friedman to apply for independent funding to continue her work and transition into an independent pediatrician-scientist. Her long term goals are to further our understanding of parasite associated morbidity in children and use this data to inform our efforts to promote the health of children in the developing world.

Agency
National Institute of Health (NIH)
Institute
National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases (NIAID)
Type
Mentored Patient-Oriented Research Career Development Award (K23)
Project #
5K23AI052125-02
Application #
6631451
Study Section
Microbiology and Infectious Diseases B Subcommittee (MID)
Program Officer
Rao, Malla R
Project Start
2002-08-01
Project End
2007-04-30
Budget Start
2003-05-01
Budget End
2004-04-30
Support Year
2
Fiscal Year
2003
Total Cost
$124,767
Indirect Cost
Name
Brown University
Department
Public Health & Prev Medicine
Type
Schools of Medicine
DUNS #
001785542
City
Providence
State
RI
Country
United States
Zip Code
02912
Fabre, Valeria; Wu, Haiwei; PondTor, Sunthorn et al. (2011) Tissue inhibitor of matrix-metalloprotease-1 predicts risk of hepatic fibrosis in human Schistosoma japonicum infection. J Infect Dis 203:707-14
Olson, Courtney L; Acosta, Luz P; Hochberg, Natasha S et al. (2009) Anemia of inflammation is related to cognitive impairment among children in Leyte, the Philippines. PLoS Negl Trop Dis 3:e533
Jiz, Mario; Friedman, Jennifer F; Leenstra, Tjalling et al. (2009) Immunoglobulin E (IgE) responses to paramyosin predict resistance to reinfection with Schistosoma japonicum and are attenuated by IgG4. Infect Immun 77:2051-8
Jiz, Mario; Wu, Hai-Wei; Meng, Rui et al. (2008) Pilot-scale production and characterization of paramyosin, a vaccine candidate for schistosomiasis japonica. Infect Immun 76:3164-9
Coutinho, Hannah M; Leenstra, Tjalling; Acosta, Luz P et al. (2007) Higher serum concentrations of DHEAS predict improved nutritional status in helminth-infected children, adolescents, and young adults in Leyte, the Philippines. J Nutr 137:433-9
Coutinho, H M; Acosta, L P; Wu, H W et al. (2007) Th2 cytokines are associated with persistent hepatic fibrosis in human Schistosoma japonicum infection. J Infect Dis 195:288-95
Kurtis, Jonathan D; Friedman, Jennifer F; Leenstra, Tjalling et al. (2006) Pubertal development predicts resistance to infection and reinfection with Schistosoma japonicum. Clin Infect Dis 42:1692-8
Leenstra, Tjalling; Coutinho, Hannah M; Acosta, Luz P et al. (2006) Schistosoma japonicum reinfection after praziquantel treatment causes anemia associated with inflammation. Infect Immun 74:6398-407
Leenstra, Tjalling; Acosta, Luz P; Wu, Hai-Wei et al. (2006) T-helper-2 cytokine responses to Sj97 predict resistance to reinfection with Schistosoma japonicum. Infect Immun 74:370-81
Coutinho, Hannah M; Acosta, Luz P; McGarvey, Stephen T et al. (2006) Nutritional status improves after treatment of schistosoma japonicum-infected children and adolescents. J Nutr 136:183-8

Showing the most recent 10 out of 19 publications