Cystic Fibrosis and Pulmonary Clinical Research

Mentor Areas

Cystic fibrosis, bronchopulmonary dysplasia, pulmonary function testing, epidemiology

Description:

My research program is divided into the following areas:

Application of advanced pulmonary function testing to study pediatric respiratory disease. We are assessing the role of electrical impedance tomography in the evaluation of cystic fibrosis (CF) lung disease and using forced oscillometry to study pulmonary outcomes in preterm children who were part of a randomized clinical trial of hydrocortisone in infancy.
CF clinical trials. CHOP is part of the Therapeutics Development Network, the CF Foundation’s clinical trials network. Current and upcoming studies include a randomized trial of different pulmonary exacerbation treatment strategies in children with CF (STOP PEDS RCT), impact of elexacaftor/tezacaftor/ivacaftor (ETI) on young children with CF (BEGIN), collection of clinical data in people with CF who are ineligible for modulators (REACH), effect of modulators in sweat chloride (CHEC-SC), and an open label extension study of a new CFTR modulator, VX-121.
Improving Clinical Use of Pediatric home Spirometry (ICUPS). ICUPS is a quality improvement project designed to increase and improve the use of home spirometry in children with CF. We recently distributed 166 home spirometers to children with CF at 3 CF Centers and we are now in the process of tracking their use.
Assessing aDVerse sOCial And sTructural dEterminants of health in CF Newborn Screening (ADVOCATE-CF NBS). The goal of this project is to identify structural and social factors contributing to disparities in diagnosis and treatment of infants with an abnormal CF newborn screen.
CF Foundation Patient Registry (CFFPR) Analyses. We conducted a variety of analyses using the CFFPR. Recent and upcoming analyses include the epidemiology of pulmonary exacerbations in infants and young children with CF, the relationship between food insecurity and clinical outcomes in CF, the impact of airway dysanapsis on pulmonary outcomes in CF, and the real world effect of ETI.
Home-Reported Outcomes 2 (HERO-2). This is an observational cohort study designed to identify changes in chronic daily therapies in people with CF taking ETI and the relationship between changes in therapies and pulmonary outcomes.
Clinical trial of a disinfectant intervention in therapy dogs to combat hospital-associated pathogens and promote sustainability of animal-assisted visitation programs. This is a randomized clinical trial in therapy dogs to assess the effect of anti-microbial shampoo on reducing hospital associated pathogens.

The primary role of students in our research program would be to assist the clinical research team in carrying out study procedures and data collection. There will also be opportunities to participate in research meetings and observe clinical activities such as CF clinic, pulmonary function testing, and bronchoscopy.

Preferred Qualifications

Certification in human subjects research.

Project Website

Learn more about the researcher and/or the project here.
https://www.med.upenn.edu/apps/faculty/index.php/g275/p9541097

Details:

Preferred Student Year

First-year, Second-Year, Junior, Senior

Academic Term

Fall, Spring, Summer

I prefer to have students start during the above term(s).

Volunteer

Yes

Yes indicates that faculty are open to volunteers.

Paid

Yes

Yes indicates that faculty are open to paying students they engage in their research, regardless of their work-study eligibility.