September 30, 1997
Health Source: Medical News from the University of Washington
UNDERSTANDING WHY EGG CONSUMPTION may or may not affect blood cholesterol levels is the purpose of a study being conducted at the University of Washington Northwest Lipid Research Clinic. Participants include persons who are insulin resistant and those whose insulin functions normally. Researchers are hoping to learn more about why cholesterol levels remain the same in some people who eat eggs and increase in others.
UNRAVELING THE MYSTERIES OF THE PSEUDOMONAS aeruginosa bacterium, a major cause of cystic fibrosis complications, is under way at the University of Washington Genome Center. As part of this effort, genetic data gathered by UW researchers will be updated and mounted on a Website each quarter, allowing researchers around the world rapid access to the data and eliminating duplicative work. The effort is supported by the Cystic Fibrosis Foundation and Seattle-based PathoGenesis Corp. “We are able to produce raw DNA sequencing data that is of immediate value for clinical research before completing analysis of the full pseudomonas genome,” said Dr. Maynard Olson, director of the UW Genome Center.
IMPROVING ACCESS TO U.S. DEPARTMENT OF ENERGY information is the goal of a series of public workshops taking place in Washington and Oregon. “The Hanford Openness Workshops,” hosted by the Consortium for Risk Evaluation with Stakeholder Participation (CRESP) at the University of Washington, will involve representatives from Tribal Nations, local government, medical and technical communities and citizen activist groups. Specific goals of the workshops include identifying priorities for declassifying documents about Hanford.
HELPING PARENTS PREPARE FOR MULTIPLE BIRTHS is the focus of a course offered by the Perinatal Education Department at the University of Washington Medical Center. The three-session course covers the topics of pregnancy, delivery and parenting for couples expecting multiple births. A family of multiples is available during the course to share their knowledge and experience.
A COMPREHENSIVE APPROACH TO MULTIPLE SCLEROSIS is offered at University of Washington Medical Center’s Multiple Sclerosis Clinical Center. In addition to new drug treatments, clinic patients receive help in dealing with the fatigue, pain, reduced mobility and cognitive difficulties that may affect patients’ lives. The center’s research has included findings on the benefits of exercise for M.S. patients and drug therapies that could block the flare-ups that lead to a gradual decline in those with M.S. The center is a founding member of a nationwide consortium of centers devoted to M.S. patients and research.
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