Research

David Finegold, MD, Research Projects

Determining whether genetic susceptibility is a significant risk factor for the development of secondary lymphedema following treatment in patients with breast cancer is among several areas of study by David Finegold, MD. This program recruits patients through Magee-Womens Hospital of UPMC’s Breast Cancer program and has identified two unusual mutations in FOXC2. The study investigates the presence of lymphatic variation in the families of patients with secondary lymphedema compared to similar patients who have not developed secondary lymphedema.

As co-investigator in the colloid group of Sanford Asher, PhD, University of Pittsburgh Department of Chemistry, Dr. Finegold is helping to develop point-of-care sensors for ammonia and amino acids, which will be applied to the clinical management of patients with inborn errors of metabolism.

Dr. Finegold and Massimo Trucco MD are performing clinical studies of a vaccine with potential to reverse type-1 diabetes mellitus and restore normal glucose homeostasis. A tolerogenic protocol, possibly useful in type 1 diabetes therapy, takes advantage of dendritic cells immunologically impaired via gene engineering modifications. The protocol, shown to be very efficient in rodents, is being tested in human safety trials.

Diabetes Vaccine Study

Last Update
August 14, 2010

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