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Boyd Moreau Koffman, M.D., Ph.D.: Personnel: |
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| A dissociated chick embryo cardiac myocyte beats independently. Image courtesy of www.cellsalive.com. |
We are interested in the effects of corticosteroids on human muscle. Corticosteroids are used primarily for their immunosuppressive actions in a number of diseases. Unfortunately, potential side effects of these medications include a severe quadraparetic myopathy in the case of high-dose intravenous steroids in critically ill persons, or a milder, chronic myopathy with use of moderate doses of oral medication. Using tissue culture, molcular biology, protein chemistry, and electrophysiology, we aim to characterize the changes in myocytes caused by corticosteroids.
We have also developed interest in the interaction of lymphocytes with the central and peripheral nervous system and are currently evaluating the effect of immunomodulating agents on these cells.
Links:
Muscular Dystrophy Association (http://www.mdausa.org/)
Myasthenia Gravis Foundation of America (http://www.myasthenia.org/)
Myositis Association of America (http://www.myositis.org/)
National Institutes of Health (http://www.nih.gov/)
National Multiple Sclerosis Society (http://www.nmss.org/)
National Multiple Sclerosis Society - Northwest Ohio Chapter (http://www.nmss.org/)