USDOE Human Subjects Research Database, Fiscal Year 2004

University of Alabama at Birmingham

Public Information Contact:

Dr. Robert P. Kimberly
Department of Medicine,
Division of Clinical Immunology and Rheumatology
THT 429, 1900 University Blvd.
Birmingham, AL 35294

Phone: 205-934-5306
Fax: 205-934-1564
E-mail: rpk@uab.edu

Institutional Review Board (IRB):

Human Subject Projects:

Number of Human Subjects projects reported: 1

UAB-04-X040607001

"Program in the Functional Genomics of Autoimmunity and Immunobiology"

Project Identifier: UAB-04-X040607001

"Program in the Functional Genomics of Autoimmunity and Immunobiology"

Principal Investigator: Dr. Robert P. Kimberly, University of Alabama at Birmingham

Project started in: 2004

Project Funding Information:

Funding for Human Subjects Research:

DOE: Office of Biological and Environmental Research (OBER)

$362,500.00 (Est.) for: Fiscal Year 2004

Information on Use of Human Subjects:

This project does not involve the use of multiple protocols/subprojects.

Institutional Review Board (IRB) Review:
Type of Review: Expedited
Approving Institution: University of Alabama at Birmingham
Most recent approval: 06/14/04
IRB approval number: X040607001

Number of human subjects who participated in this project/protocol/subproject in the last reporting period: 190
Reporting period for number of human subjects: Fiscal Year 2004

Type(s) of Human Subjects Involvement:

Collection of personally identifiable bodily materials (blood or blood products, urine, cells, tissue, teeth, organs, excreta, etc):

• Using cells cultured in a laboratory.

(a. Objectives, b. Methodology, c. Ionizing Radiation, Radioactive Substances, or Chemical Substances to which human subjects are exposed, d. Involvement of Human Subjects [d.1. procedures used, d.2. risks if any])

Approximately 50 million Americans suffer from autoimmune diseases. It is now the third most common disease group in America and epidemiologic data indicate the prevalence of autoimmune disease has increased several fold over the last two decades. Autoimmune conditions include multiple sclerosis, rheumatoid arthritis, type 1 diabetes, systemic lupus erythematosis, Crohn's disease, and numerous other immunologic and inflammatory diseases. Autoimmune diseases often run in families and have a genetic component. Moreover, many of these diseases disproportionately affect women and minority populations including African-Americans and Hispanic-Americans. Therefore, there is a compelling need to address autoimmune diseases to enhance the research capacity and to accelerate discovery to enable new treatments and diagnostics to improve patient care.

To achieve these goals this grant is being used to augment the research capacity of the two collaborating institutions, the University of Alabama at Birmingham (UAB) and the University of Kentucky, particularly in the areas of genomics/informatics, molecular analysis, and cell separation. However, all human subjects related work is being performed at UAB. In addition, we will promote collaborative research interactions through scientific workshops and exchange of scientists, as well as through joint exploration of the role of immune receptors as targets in autoimmunity and host defense, innate and adaptive immune responses, and mucosal immunity in host defense.

Development of these goals will result in greater potential for coalition among pharmaceutical and biotechnological industries, increased collaboration and cooperation among sister institutions with corresponding joint development of research initiatives, and more rapid development of new diagnostic and therapeutic advances in autoimmunity.