171 Ashley Ave.
Charleston, SC 29425
843-792-1414
800-424-MUSC
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September 2006
Letter From Our Chair
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L. Lyndon Key, MD
Professor and Chairman
Department of Pediatrics |
Dear faculty, Children's Hospital staff and other friends,
This month has definitely underscored the importance of collaborative research and its ability to turn basic science into clinical
realities. The Darby Children's Research Institute has had many recent achievements under the oversight of the directors, Drs. Maria and Singh.
Just two weeks ago, we learned that Dr. Doe Jenkins and her colleagues in Obstetrics and Gynecology and Radiology were receiving a $1.9
million grant to investigate a strategy proposed initially by Dr. Inderjit Singh. The goal of this investigation is to protect the neonatal
brain in utero from infections during the gestational period by treating mothers with N-acetylcysteine. This impressive study builds upon
other human trials run at MUSC that have demonstrated that results in mice with encephalitis could be translated into a treatment for multiple sclerosis.
This weekend another grant, this time from the FDA, was recommended for funding with a fundable priority score. This secondary prevention
trial will determine if the onset of diabetes can be halted once it has been detected.
Linking these new approvals with ongoing work in cystic fibrosis, osteoporosis, and a reduction in inflammation using vitamin D, our
department and our children's hospital are becoming leaders in the investigation of inflammatory disease.
The watchword for the Darby CRI has always been collaboration, and as MUSC prepares to apply for a Clinical and Translational Sciences
Award, our successes through teamwork are right on target. These projects are bringing together investigators from a variety of fields
to form departmental, and institutional collaborations to attack health concerns in a way that could never be done through individual
study. We are that much closer to overcoming many of them.
This exciting renaissance is taking place in a fertile environment. In the hospital, residents are joining the ranks of researchers to
develop quality and safety projects in their second year of the EBM course. Their discoveries will be tested in the years to come. The
lessons learned from ethical studies in children will also bear fruit in the future, as each of our resident trainees becomes a life-long learner.
We stand on the brink of a new day for our department. We are building upon the legacy of Dr. Charles Darby, Dr. Mitchell Rubin, and
Dr. Singh by creating a research program that will impact the health of children for generations.
Sincerely,
L. Lyndon Key, MD
Chair, Department of Pediatrics
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