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American Burn Association Presents its Robert B Lindberg Award to Amy Dugan
03/25/2009
Amy Dugan, PhD, research scientist in the department of molecular and cellular physiology, was today awarded the Robert B Lindberg Award of the American Burn Association at its annual meeting in San Antonio, Texas. The $500 prize and medal is awarded for the best scientific paper presented by a nonphysician scientist at the meeting.
Dugan's study entitled "Mice treated with a benzodiazepine had an improved survival rate following Pseudomonas aeruginosa infection" was undertaken to determine whether psychological stress or anxiety-modulating drugs (anxiolytics) could alter survival following an infection. Infection is the leading cause of death in burn patients and Pseudomonas aeruginosa is one of the more common pathogens involved.
"Amy pioneered studies of interactions between trauma and psychological stress, first as a PhD student, and now as in independent investigator," commented Nelson Horseman, PhD, professor of molecular and cellular physiology, and a coauthor on Dugan's paper. "Her recent work with anxiolytic drugs provides an important perspective on a very complex field of science and medicine. This prize is well-deserved recognition for her creative and tenacious commitment to research."
The study found that the protective effect of the drug was independent of its anxiolytic activity, since survival did not differ between predator-stressed and nonstressed animals, and the protective effect was not observed following a lethal dose of endotoxin (LPS). Whereas the mechanism underlying the protective effect of anxiolytics is not yet known, Dugan's study is timely and important because burn patients are often routinely treated with anxiolytics such as Versed (midazolam).
Also participating in the study were coauthors George Babcock, PhD, Jason Gardner, Karen Gregerson, PhD, Alice Neely, PhD, and Greg Noel.
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