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NEWS

February 21, 2000

U of Alberta researchers make asthma breakthrough

By Yang Wu

EDMONTON (CUP) - After years of research, Dean Befus, a medical researcher at the University of Alberta (U of A), has discovered two therapeutic methods that could provide a breakthrough in asthma treatment. “My career has been the most interesting scientific detective story,’ said Befus, describing his research on the two ther- apies.

Through a long process of experimentation, Befus, a Staff member at the U of A’s faculties of Medicine and Dentistry, and his team dis- covered a method of treat- ment using hormones and another one involving gene therapy. According to Befus, asthma is caused when a person develops an allergic reaction to a _ substance.

During this process, the per- scn forms an antibody to the allergy-causing substance. This antibody, controlled by various genes in the body, can cause inflammation in the airways when the allergen is inhaled. This inflammation is what makes breathing diffi- cult.

Presently, there are two treatments for asthma. The first one, the common asthma spray, acts to temporarily relieve airways and does not treat the underlying inflam- mation. The second type involves inhaling steroid med- ications to treat the inflamma- tion. However, it cannot com- pletely remove the inflamma- tion and can also cause side effects with some patients, which has made it very unpopular with many asthma sufferers.

In 1986, Befus, along with Ron Mathison and Joe Davison, two researchers at the University of Calgary, began research on how the nerves of lab rats influence lung inflammation. Through their research, they discov- ered a hormone controlled by certain nerves, a part of which can control and pre- vent inflammatory responses. After years of continuous research, the team can now produce the hormone and has created a drug based on it that has worked well on asthmatic laboratory rats. They have also patented their research finding and set up a company to further their research and attract grants. They hope that more research on the hormone treatment will allow them to test it on humans, and deter-

View from the Edge Features: Tri Omega “Men in White”

Who they are: Currently this group/club has 34 members. Eight of them, the “The Men in White,” support the athletic teams of UNBC. Women are involved in Men in White, says Richard Phillips (President of Tri Omega), who is hoping to get more women involved in the cheer-

Why say it twice?

Talk to two people at once.

ing squad.

Why and how they came together: Tri Omega mem- bers wanted to contribute to the community spirit of UNBC and develop an atmosphere of goodwill and free spirit. Who exactly they are: The executive group consists of Richard Phillips (president),

Nick Waber (vice-president), Kalen Harris (treasurer) and James Adamson (founder). They do meet weekly but are in the process of reorganiz- ing. If you are interested, con- tact Rich or Kalen at 612- 0020. Monthly fees help sup- port Tri Omega activities.

mine whether or not it will be an effective drug for those with asthma.

In co-operation with a med- ical researcher in Philadelphia, Befus and his postdoctoral fellow, Grant Stenton, have also done research on the genes that control asthma. In this pro- ject, Befus and his fellow researchers have created an experimental asthma spray containing genetic medicines. When used, the spray blocks the Syk gene, one of the genes that cause asthma attacks. This method of treat- ment has also worked well on rats, and Befus is doing fur- ther experimentation to see if it can be tested on humans. He plans to publish his work on gene therapy in an issue of the Journal of Immunology this April.

But despite progress in the two methods, Befus still feels there are many challenges ahead in his research. “The process of drug development is a very complicated issue, both scientifically and from a business standpoint, he said.

According to Befus, the suc- cess rate for a scientific dis- covery turning into a drug is very low. He adds that while the two methods might work well on animals, they might work on a human being. They might also have side effects on humans, or prove too costly to be accepted by pharmaceutical companies. Nevertheless, Befus is posi- tive that there is considerable promise and the work is pro- ceeding.

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