Asthma is a major public health problem that is associated with significant morbidity and mortality. Patients at high-risk for asthma decompensations include those with severe asthma that is refractory to therapy, as well as patients with poorly controlled disease due to inadequate treatment. We believe that the development of a non-invasive method for the detection of asthma-specific biomarkers that correlate with exacerbations will advance clinical management. Furthermore, since a disproportionate burden of asthma-related morbidity affects minority populations and women, the identification of clinically useful biomarkers may address a health disparity. Thus, the goal of this bench-to-bedside proposal is to use a novel device to collect exhaled breath condensates from asthmatic patients who are at high-risk for frequent exacerbations and identify diseasespecific biomarkers of airway inflammation by mass spectroscopy (MALDI-TOF).This will be a collaborative study between investigators in the Division of Intramural Research, NHLBl and extramural Investigators at the Johns Hopkins University, who are developing an Applied Physics Lab detection platform for the diagnosis of respiratory infections. The bench-to-bedside award program facilitated the conception of this collaborative proposal that addresses an important clinical problem and will result in a new clinical protocol at the NIH Clinical Research Center. Dr. Levine will be the Principal Clinical Investigator and Dr. Jackman will be the Principal Basic Scientist. Dr. Rothman is the Principal lnvestigator for Project 6.3 (Universal Diagnostic Platforms forBioterrorist Events) on a NlAlD Program Project Grant (Al57168-04: The Middle-Atlantic Regional Center of Excellence for Biodefense and Emerging infectiousDiseases Research).
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