FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE                                               

For more information, contact:

The University of Tennessee Health Science Center

Sheila Champlin – (901) 448-4957, schampli@uthsc.edu or

Dena Owens – (901) 448-4072, dowens10@uthsc.edu

 

 

Physiology Professor Anjaparavanda Naren of

The University of Tennessee Health Science Center

 Receives $1,217,250 Grant for Diarrheal Diseases Research

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 Memphis, Tenn. (October 25, 2011) – Anjaparavanda Naren, PhD, professor of Physiology at the University of Tennessee Health Science Center (UTHSC), has received a research grant totaling $1,217,250 from the National Institute of Diabetes and Digestive and Kidney Diseases, a subsidiary of the National Institutes of Health.  The award will be distributed over a four-year period to fund his study on diarrheal diseases.  Diarrhea is a common cause of illness and death globally, especially among the elderly and young children in developing countries.  The condition can lead to physical dehydration and chemical imbalances.

Worldwide, four billion diarrhea episodes occur annually, leading to 4 percent of all deaths each year.  In the United States, approximately 300 million episodes of acute diarrhea occur annually, resulting in about eight million physician visits and more than 900,000 hospitalizations.  Many of these cases involve the activation of the cystic fibrosis transmembrane conductance regulator (CFTR), a protein that functions as a channel across the membrane of cells and produces digestive enzymes and the secretion of body fluids.   

Using a mouse model, Dr. Naren’s research will examine the formation of the macromolecular complexes* of CFTR under physiologically healthy conditions, as well as diseased states.  By reviewing the condition at the molecular level, Dr. Naren and his team will determine ways to control fluid loss, and thus cure secretory diarrheal diseases, which cause secretion of water through the intestine.  

“Secretory diarrheas affect a large number of people worldwide, and it is important to study the disease at the molecular level,” said Dr. Naren.  “Results from this study will help us to better understand the pathogenic process of deadly secretory diarrheas and assist us with discovering new treatments.”

The National Institute of Diabetes and Digestive and Kidney Diseases (NIDDK) conducts and supports research on many of the most serious diseases affecting public health.  Studies include a array of metabolic diseases such as diabetes, obesity, inborn errors of metabolism, endocrine disorders, mineral metabolism, digestive and liver diseases, nutrition, urology and renal disease, and hematology.  For more information about NIDDK and its research, visit http://www2.niddk.nih.gov/.

As the flagship statewide academic health system, the mission of the University of Tennessee Health Science Center (UTHSC) is to bring the benefits of the health sciences to the achievement and maintenance of human health, with a focus on the citizens of Tennessee and the region, by pursuing an integrated program of education, research, clinical care, and public service.  In 2011, UT Health Science Center celebrates its centennial: 100 years advancing the future of health care.  Offering a broad range of postgraduate training opportunities, the main UTHSC campus is located in Memphis and includes six colleges: Allied Health Sciences, Dentistry, Graduate Health Sciences, Medicine, Nursing and Pharmacy.  The UTHSC campus in Knoxville includes a College of Medicine, College of Pharmacy, and an Allied Health Sciences unit.  In addition, the UTHSC Chattanooga campus includes a College of Medicine and an Allied Health Sciences unit.  Since its founding in 1911, UTHSC has educated and trained more than 53,000 health care professionals on campuses and in health care facilities across the state.  For more information, visit www.uthsc.edu.

 

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*macromolecular complexes – large molecules found in plants and animals that consist of many components, consume energy, and perform essential tasks in the cell.