UCF was awarded three of The Huntington 麻豆精品 S檚 Disease Society of America 麻豆精品 S檚 six national fellowships this year.
The students work in the research lab of Amber Southwell, a College of Medicine expert on Huntington 麻豆精品 S檚 Disease (HD), who also helps run an interdisciplinary clinic for patients with the inherited disease.
HD causes brain cells to break down and die, causing patients to suffer involuntary movements, difficulty swallowing, cognitive decline, and behavioral and emotional control issues. Symptoms usually begin at the height of adulthood 麻豆精品 S� ages 30 to 50. There is no cure or drug treatment that can slow down the disease although scientific studies show that an interdisciplinary clinical program like UCF 麻豆精品 S檚 can delay disease progression and improve quality of life for patients and their families.
UCF student scientists Alex De Almeida, Kaleigh Hanley and Sabrina 麻豆精品 S淪hai 麻豆精品 S� Lipkin will research a variety of HD topics, including the biological causes of aggression, depression, and OCD-like symptoms that impact Huntington patients and their families.
Such research by undergraduates is an important part of their scientific career path, Southwell says, noting that the three have dreams of becoming physicians, academic researchers and M.D./Ph.D. 麻豆精品 S檚.
麻豆精品 S淯CF has very strong undergraduate programs that enroll excellent students, 麻豆精品 S� she says. 麻豆精品 S淭he caliber of these students and their desire to do research is extraordinary. I am so proud of them. 麻豆精品 S�
To compete for the fellowship, the students had to develop a research hypothesis, conduct initial research to design ways to test their hypothesis, and have a scientific plan for future studies.
麻豆精品 S淭hey had to show a passion for research and that their hypotheses have a strong rationale, 麻豆精品 S� Southwell says. 麻豆精品 S淭heir studies have the potential of impacting the lives of patients with Huntington disease, their families and their caregivers. 麻豆精品 S�
The psychological impact of HD is understudied, Southwell says, because it is so difficult to accurately measure and because HD causes unique behavioral symptoms in every patient. One of the most challenging symptoms for patients and their families is aggression, where a formerly mild-mannered person may suddenly face arrest for assault or road rage as the disease progresses.
De Almeida says he wants to research aggression in HD patients because of the stigma they face.
麻豆精品 S淚 know that inside every person that is living with Huntington disease is the desire to be loved just like the rest of us, 麻豆精品 S� he says. 麻豆精品 S淩esearch into Huntington disease has opened my eyes to the reality that making this world a better place is a constant battle. 麻豆精品 S�
Lipkin also has a personal reason behind her interested in HD research.
麻豆精品 S淎s someone who has witnessed my family being plagued by dementia and Alzheimer 麻豆精品 S檚, I have always harbored a personal vendetta against neurodegenerative diseases, 麻豆精品 S� she says.
That passion led her to learn about neurodegenerative diseases to help her care for family members. Lipkin says working in Southwell 麻豆精品 S檚 lab and doing outreach with HD patients have inspired her to do translational research that will help improve the quality of life for patients and their families.
Hanley serves as a patient navigator at UCF 麻豆精品 S檚 Huntington disease clinic.
麻豆精品 S淭his experience has given my research a sensitive and humanizing touch, 麻豆精品 S� Hanley says. 麻豆精品 S淚 work closely with patients and their families, observing firsthand the life-altering effects of Huntington disease. The severity and abundance of symptoms of individuals affected by Huntington disease compared to other forms of neurodegenerative disease is striking and has increased my desire to contribute to their care. 麻豆精品 S�
UCF 麻豆精品 S檚 clinic and its sister site at the AdventHealth Neuroscience Institute is a partner sites to the Huntington 麻豆精品 S檚 Disease Society of American Center of Excellence at the University of South Florida. Located inside the UCF College of Health Professions and Sciences聽Rehabilitation Innovation Center聽in Research Park, the clinic integrates neurologists, psychologists, speech language pathologists, physical therapists, social workers and researchers to provide comprehensive care to patients and their caregivers, and to help answer important questions that will advance the field of care. The clinic is located at 3280 Progress Drive, suite 500.
To learn more about the clinic, or to make an appointment, visit the hdsa.org聽or email chd@ucf.edu.
