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UTHSC’S CASHION HONORED FOR GENETICS RESEARCH

            Memphis, Tennessee (November 17, 2004) – Ann Cashion, PhD, associate professor at the University of Tennessee Health Science Center College of Nursing, was recently honored with the Founder’s Award from the International Society of Nurses in Genetics (ISONG). The award recognizes outstanding genetics research and scholarship.

Dr. Cashion is director of the university’s College of Nursing Center for Health Evaluation Lifestyle Promotion (HELP Center), which provides health promotion management and support for individuals with chronic conditions. Dr. Cashion’s laboratory research and clinical interests target the effects of genetics and environment on complex disorders such as obesity, diabetes mellitus and transplantation.

 Her current National Institute of Nursing Research study, “Genetic Markers of Acute Pancreas Allograft Rejection,” examines specific genetic biomarkers for the ability to identify transplant recipients who are in sub-clinical stages of acute rejection.

She said, “It is technically and clinically difficult to diagnose early rejection in individuals with a pancreas transplant. These genetic biomarkers would allow us to identify individuals in early stages of rejection.” She is also funded to study post transplant diabetes in liver transplant recipients.

Dr. Cashion is actively involved in redesigning nursing curricula to incorporate rapidly expanding genetic content.

 

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