MANHASSET, N.Y., Aug. 16, 2018 /PRNewswire/ -- Feinstein
Institute for Medical Research Professor Valentin A. Pavlov, PhD, received a five-year,
$1.65 million R01 grant from the
National Institutes of Health (NIH) to examine the vagus nerve's
role in the inflammation and metabolism associated with sepsis.
Having a better understanding of the nervous system's signaling
during sepsis could lead to the identification of new therapeutic
targets within the scope of bioelectronic medicine.
Sepsis is a body-wide immune system reaction to an infection
that is responsible for more than 300,000 deaths in the United States each year and leaves many
survivors profoundly disabled. Deregulated immune function is
recognized as an important component of sepsis; however, we need to
understand more about the mechanisms involved to fully understand
how dysregulation occurs to design therapeutic
approaches.
Previous research conducted by Dr. Pavlov and Feinstein
Institute President and CEO Dr. Kevin J.
Tracey, MD, found that the brain and the vagus nerve are
involved in controlling immune responses and inflammation – this
discovery has been called the inflammatory reflex. In this new
study, Dr. Pavlov will examine the role of the vagus nerve
originating in the brainstem in the regulation of immune responses
and metabolism during sepsis.
"While we have uncovered that the nervous system, specifically
the vagus nerve, regulates inflammation in the body, we do not know
the exact neural signaling taking place during sepsis," said Dr.
Pavlov. "With this support from the NIH, we aim to better
understand the communication between the vagus nerve and the body's
immune and metabolic responses during sepsis – this should help us
identify new therapeutic targets. And this could lead to new
medications or bioelectronic medicine therapies for sepsis and its
long-reaching sequelae."
Bioelectronic medicine is an emerging field of medicine, which
combines neuroscience, molecular biology and bioengineering to tap
into the nervous system to treat disease and injury without the use
of pharmaceuticals. Dr. Pavlov's team plans to map the neural
signals coming from the brainstem through the vagus nerve to the
body's organs during sepsis.
Identifying ways to combat sepsis has been identified as a major
research priority by both the Feinstein Institute and Northwell
Health. To help shorten the diagnosis time – a key element to
preventing loss of life – Northwell Health's Sepsis Task Force,
headed by Martin Doerfler, MD,
senior vice president of clinical strategy and development at
Northwell and its associate chief medical officer, along with
researchers at the Feinstein Institute, reviewed previous cases to
identify the key signs for sepsis. Through this work, they
identified a protocol, which includes early administration of
fluids and antibiotics, to implement across Northwell Health's 23
hospitals. As a result, sepsis-related mortalities at those
facilities have been reduced by almost 70 percent.
"Dr. Pavlov is taking a new and creative approach to researching
the role of the nervous system in sepsis," said Dr. Tracey. "The
results should give new insights to benefit future patients with
sepsis."
About the Feinstein Institute
The
Feinstein Institute for Medical Research is the research arm of
Northwell Health, the largest healthcare provider in New York. Home to 50 research laboratories and
to clinical research throughout dozens of hospitals and outpatient
facilities, the Feinstein Institute includes 4,000 researchers and
staff who are making breakthroughs in molecular medicine, genetics,
oncology, brain research, mental health, autoimmunity, and
bioelectronic medicine – a new field of science that has the
potential to revolutionize medicine. For more information about how
we empower imagination and pioneer discovery, visit
FeinsteinInstitute.org
Contact:
|
Heather E. Ball
Mayer
|
|
516-465-7917
|
|
hball@northwell.edu
|
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SOURCE The Feinstein Institute for Medical Research