image: Dr. Harry Rossiter, LA BioMed researcher, is launching a study of the effectiveness of pulmonary rehabilitation in treating COPD in an underserved population in Los Angeles. view more
Credit: LA BioMed
LOS ANGELES - The ATS Foundation and Breathe California of Los Angeles have awarded $80,000 to Harry Rossiter, PhD, a lead researcher at the Los Angeles Biomedical Research Institute (LA BioMed), to study the effectiveness of pulmonary rehabilitation in reducing chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) symptoms in an underserved population in Los Angeles.
COPD is a progressive lung disease that makes breathing more difficult. It is the third leading cause of death in the U.S., affecting more than 24 million Americans, including 1.6 million Californians, and costing an estimated $50 billion a year. Pulmonary rehabilitation is a proven effective therapy for reducing COPD symptoms, hospitalization and healthcare costs.
Rehabilitation also is the most effective COPD therapy with benefits that far exceed those for all available drugs. Yet disadvantaged patients are often unable to access rehabilitation programs.
"The benefits of rehabilitation vary among individuals, so we will be using the state-of-the-art methods developed in our lab to study how rehabilitation affects each person," Dr. Rossiter said. "This study will be a vital first step in personalizing rehabilitation to maximize its effectiveness in improving the lives of COPD patients. Ultimately, the goal of the research is to improve outcomes in COPD and reduce healthcare expenditures. Not only is it important to produce new scientific insight into how rehabilitation benefits those living with COPD, but also to make a substantial impact on the lives of underserved patients."
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About the ATS Foundation and Breathe California
The ATS Foundation and Breathe California of Los Angeles provided the funding for Dr. Rossiter's research. The ATS Foundation has supported more than $11 million in grants to over 183 early career investigators conducting research in pulmonary, critical care and sleep medicine. Since 1903, Breathe California of Los Angeles has been dedicated to providing research, education, advocacy and technology to promote clean air and healthy lungs and to eliminate the causes of lung disease and reduce the suffering of those afflicted. Together, the ATS Foundation and Breathe California of Los Angeles are making strides towards a cure for lung disease. For more information, please visit: thoracic.org/research.
About LA BioMed
Founded in 1952, LA BioMed is one of the country's leading nonprofit independent biomedical research institutes. It has approximately 100 principal researchers conducting studies into improved treatments and therapies for cancer, inherited diseases, infectious diseases, illnesses caused by environmental factors and much more. It also educates young scientists and provides community services, including prenatal counseling and childhood nutrition programs. LA BioMed is academically affiliated with the David Geffen School of Medicine at UCLA and located on the campus of Harbor-UCLA Medical Center. For more information, please visit http://www.LABioMed.org