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Columbia University Medical Center to Lead New Treatment Trial for Fatty Liver Disease
The Division of Pediatric Gastroenterology at Morgan Stanley Children’s Hospital/Columbia University Medical Center is leading a new clinical trial of cysteamine bitartrate as a potential treatment of non-alcoholic steatohepatitis (NASH), an advanced form of non-alcoholic fatty liver disease.
Raptor Pharmaceutical Corp. announced the signing of a cooperative research and development agreement with the National Institute of Diabetes and Digestive and Kidney Diseases to conduct this Phase 2b clinical trial. The clinical trial will evaluate the safety and potential efficacy of RP104, Raptor’s proprietary delayed-release tablet formulation of cysteamine bitartrate, as a potential treatment of non-alcoholic steatohepatitis in children. The clinical trial is expected to begin in the first calendar quarter of 2012.
For more information, click on the press release from the National Institutes of Health at right.
Faculty News in 2011
Ali Mencin, MD, and Kara Gross Margolis, MD, have been accepted as members in the Society for Pediatric Research of the American Pediatric Society.
Kara Gross Margolis, MD, received one of the American Gastroenterological Association's six Research Scholar Awards in 2011. The overall objective of the Research Scholar Award is to enable young investigators to develop independent and productive research careers in digestive diseases by ensuring that a major proportion of their time is protected for research. The 2-year award, totaling $120,000, enables Dr. Margolis to continue her work on "Enteric Neuronal Development as a Determinant of intestinal Inflammation." These awards are exceptionally difficult to obtain, particularly in a difficult funding environment from the NIH. The competition is formidable, with at most only one pediatrician a year selected.
In the past year, Dr. Kara Gross Margolis published two lead articles in Gastroenterology, demonstrating the key interaction between the enteric nervous system and bowel inflammation. Regard for this research was demonstrated by its being highlighted on the cover of Gastroenterology. Dr. Gross Margolis has become a key resource in the autism community investigating the potential association between gastrointestinal disease and autistic spectrum disorder.
Vitamin E Effective for "Silent" Liver Disease
NIH-Funded, NEJM Study Is Largest Ever to Look at Nonalcoholic Steatohepatitis, an Obesity-Related ConditionA simple and cheap regimen of Vitamin E is an effective method to treat a severe form of fatty liver disease in children, according to a recent clinical trial led by Joel Lavine, MD, PhD, director of the Division of Gastroenterology, Hepatology and Nutrition in Pediatrics. The results of the clinical trial were published in the April 27 issue of the Journal of the American Medical Association. Click here for more information. Vitamin E Effective for Silent Liver Disease.
Dr. Nadia Ovchinsky is Nominated for Attending of the Year
Nadia Ovchinsky, MD, MBA, Assistant Professor of Pediatrics, has been nominated for the Attending of the Year Award for 2010-2011 at NewYork-Presbyterian Morgan Stanley Children's Hospital.
Every year, the Hospital's pediatric housestaff nominate pediatric attending physicians who have distinguished themselves as outstanding teachers and mentors. The attributes most important to the housestaff are excellence in bedside and formal teaching, accessibility to housestaff, thoughtful interactions with families, dedication to patient care, and support of residents.
Dr. Ovchinsky's nomination letter reads, in part, "Dr. Ovchinsky is an amazing teacher, clinician and leader. She always takes time to teach the residents, and also is extremely approachable and has excellent clinical skills."
"On behalf of the housestaff," writes Pediatric Chief Residents Thomas Hooven, MD, Yaffa M. Vitberg, MD, and Mithila Jegathesan, MD, "we extend our warmest congratulations and our appreciation for your commitment to resident education. We could not be more pleased to have attendings with these wonderful qualities as part our Morgan Stanley Children's Hospital family. Thank you for your dedication and hard work.Dr. Ali Mencin Receives Grant Award to Study Prevalence of Fatty Liver Disease in New York City
Ali Mencin, MD, Assistant Professor of Pediatrics, has received a grant award for a Pilot Feasibility Study from the New York Obesity Nutrition Research Center. Dr. Mencin's grant proposal is entitled "Prevalence of Pediatric Non-Alcoholic Fatty Liver Disease in New York City."
