2009 Calendar |
Darryl Adamko Edmonton River Valley
Maybe because he's a prairie boy, AHFMR Clinical Investigator Dr. Darryl Adamko is particularly fond of the Edmonton river valley. "I was born and raised in Saskatchewan. I like the big prairie rivers-they make the landscape that much more interesting." Dr. Adamko has made Edmonton his home since 2001. He is a pediatrician whose research interest is asthma. "Working with kids, I have seen so many suffering from asthma, especially during cold season. I began to wonder why common viruses-simple colds-can make kids with asthma so sick." Airway inflammation in an asthma attack induced by virus is characterized by an increased number of eosinophils, a particular type of white blood cells. Dr. Adamko investigates how eosinophils respond to viral infections. Understanding this pathway could lead to new targets for asthma drugs. Another aspect of his research involves the use of nuclear magnetic resonance (NMR) to detect unique chemical markers in urine. The ability to measure certain markers of inflammation in a urine sample would make it much easier to monitor how well an individual's asthma is controlled. "That way, we could adjust the medications more accurately to prevent an asthma attack. There is real promise with this approach." |
