1. Benefits of Biomedical Research

2. Epidemiological Studies
Three types
1. Experimental epidemiology
Providing or withholding a substance to determine its effects
Limited by ethical and legal considerations

3. Epidemiological Studies
Descriptive epidemiology
Observational epidemiology
Analyzes data on the distribution and extent of health problems
Tries to find correlations among characteristics (diet, air quality, occupation)
Such comparisons often made between countries and small geographic regions
Date derived from individuals or small groups
Data evaluated statistically to determine the strength of association between a particular variable and disease

4. Epidemiological Studies
Information gathering occurs after the fact
They do not demonstrate a direct cause and effect, but instead show a statistically significant association between exposure and disease

5. Strengths of Epidemiological Studies
Direct opportunity to study the effects in humans exposed to chemicals and disease-causing organisms
Useful in identifying patterns in disease or injury distribution

6. Limitations of Epidemiological Studies
Human exposure can take place before a toxic effect is detectable
Difficult to demonstrate a direct cause-and-effect relationship
Limited methodologies to measure individual’s prior exposure, route of exposure, or extent of exposure
Difficulty identifying control group (unexposed populations)
Privacy issues
Expensive to conduct

7. Treatment for heart disease– heart-lung machine Revolutionized cardiac surgery
BIOMED: RESEARCH METHODS:

8. Biomedical Research Contributions to Human Health
Treatment for heart disease
Developed the heart-lung machine which allowed us to stop the heart and operate on it.

9. Biomedical Research Contributions to Human Health
Treatment for cancer
New drugs to prevent spread
Gene therapy

10. Biomedical Research Contributions to Human Health
Treatment for Diabetes
1. Genetic engineering creates insulin manufactured by bacteria
2. Development of oral medications
3. New sugar monitoring equipment – requires less blood

11. Genetic engineering creates insulin manufactured by bacteria A weakened strain of E - coli is the 'factory' used in the genetic engineering of insulin

12. Biomedical Research Contributions to Human Health
Treatment for Diabetes (continued)
4. Insulin pumps
5 Transplantation of pig pancreas cells

13. Transplantation of pig pancreas cells
Embryonic Pig Cells Halt Rat Diabetes
Compatible donor: Cells from pigs hold promise for diabetes because studies suggest that they're not rejected by the human immune system
Xenotransplant requires no immune suppression and could work in humans

14. Biomedical Research Contributions to Human Health
Bone Marrow Transplants
Treatment for leukemia
Use of stem cells/umbilical cord blood

15. Biomedical Research Contributions to Human Health
Human vaccines developed through biomedical research
Edward Jenner – smallpox
Louis Pasteur – cholera anthrax, and rabies
Diptheria

16. Biomedical Research Contributions to Human Health
Polio Vaccine
Jonas Salk – in 1949, identified three strains of virus that cause polio and mad vaccine from killed polio virus

17. Polio Vaccine Albert Sabin – in 1954, worked on his own vaccine
Administered orally
Made from live virus that was attenuated (weak) but not killed
Stimulated an immune response (but not enough to get sick)
Administered on a sugar cube

18. Polio Success Story 1. Also known as the infantile paralysis
2. Virus attacks the spinal cord, destroying muscle nerve cells
3. Patients whose lungs are affected often spent years in iron lungs
– peak year, 58,000 cases, half were paralyzed
– Sabin Vaccine
6. Worldwide still a problem
7. Still have people in US suffering from effects of polio from 40 years ago.

19. Patients whose lungs affected often spent years in iron lungs
BIOMED: RESEARCH METHODS:

20. Jenette’ Story

21. Biomedical Research Contributions to Human Health
Chicken Pox (Varicella)
Vaccine available in 1995
Recommended for children 12 months and older who have not had the disease.

22. Biomedical Research Contributions to Human Health
Hepatitis
Hepatitis A and B, serious liver disease caused by related virus
Hepatitis B vaccine(1989) now given to babies
Hepatitis A vaccine(1995) given to people traveling to developing countries and those as risk (work with blood products)

23. Hepatits
Combined Hepatitis A/V vaccine approved in 2001

24. Biomedical Research Contributions to Human Health
Chemical and Pharmaceutical Treatments
Fluoride – many countries add to water to decrease tooth decay
Louis Pasteur uncovered the underlying principles of antibiotics
Alexander Fleming discovered Penicillin

25. Biomedical Research Contributions to Human Health
Chemical and Pharmaceutical Treatments (continued)
Cyclosporin – and other anti-rejection drugs
Monoclonal antibodies used in the treatment of cancer

26. Biomedical Research Contributions to Human Health
Surgical Procedure and Treatments
Pacemakers and other artificial devices
Angioplasty
Organ transplantation

27. AIDS Research Began in early 1980’s Caused by a virus
HIV infection progresses to AIDS when immune system is impaired and individual becomes susceptible to opportunistic infections

28. AIDS Research Animals are an important part of AIDS research
Anti-HIV drugs available, however:
1. Infected person must take lots of pills at different times of the day
2. Medications are expensive, not always covered by health insurance

29. AIDS Research 3. There are side effects
Number of possible vaccines have been developed and are being tested in humans
Common sense preventive measures best way to prevent AIDS

30. The End