Research Publications - College of Medicine and Health Science

Department of Internal Medicine
36
Research priority area for 2011
Cardiovascular disease
Dermatology
Diabetes
Genetics
Hypertension
Haematological diseases
Nutrition-antioxidant & oxidative damage
Obesity
Renal Disease
Rheumatic disease
Sleep disorders
Stroke/neurological disorders
Dr B Al-Dabbagh (Medical Research Specialist
I), Dr A M Abdulle (Medical Research Specialist
II) and Mr J Yasin (Medical Research Specialist
II) have been enmeshed in the research activities
of various faculty within and outside the
Department. Their workload increases steadily
with time. Mr Awad Al Essa (Research Nurse) is
busily occupied with several research projects.
Ms Sheena Ogilvie and Ms Reena John continue
to provide secretarial services and Mr Hisham
Hassan vital administrative services for the
Department.
Intrathecal injection of the synthetic bacterial
lipopeptide Pam3CysSK4 induces hallmarks of acute
bacterial meningitis in rats (A-C) and mice (D,E).
Cerebral blood flow (A) and intracranial pressure (B)
increase following Pam3CysSK4 (closed boxes), compared
to PBS controls (open circles) *, p < 0.05; **,
p < 0.01; Student’s t-tests. C: After 6 h, CSF reveals influx
of leukocytes in Pam3CysSK4 injected rats (closed bar)
but not in PBS controls (open bar). D: Compared to
intrathvmecal PBS (open bar), intrathecal Pam3CysSK4
causes influx of leukocytes (closed bars). *, p < 0.05;
ANOVA on ranks with Dunn’s post hoc analysis.
E: Intrathecal Pam3CysSK4 causes a self-limiting
CSF pleocytosis in wild type mice (closed boxes), no
inflammation is observed in TLR2-/- mice (open circles).
*, p < 0.05; **, p < 0.01; Mann-Whitney U-tests. Published
and provided by Prof. Braun.
Most significant recent accomplishment
An important highlight is our involvement in
the Abu Dhabi Food and Health Survey. This is
a population-based survey designed to assess
food safety and security and to examine the
links between dietary intake, nutritional status,
related chronic disease risk factors, and other
specific measured health outcomes in the population
of Abu Dhabi. The project overall aim is to
help inform policy makers and health professionals
to consider relevant food, dietary and
other lifestyle interventions that could improve
the population’s health and reduce the burden
of chronic diseases in a sustainable manner.
Our department is the lead applicant with collaboration
from Abu Dhabi Food Control and
Environment Agencies and a team from the
USA.
The Department members published 26 papers
in peer-reviewed journals, 5 abstracts and 11
conference presentations, and a significant
number of new and ongoing clinical research
grants are held by members of the department.