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FASEB News - May 5, 2009

Federation of American Societies for Experimental Biology
Office of Public Affairs • 9650 Rockville Pike, Bethesda, Md. 20814-3998 • http://opa.faseb.org/
Contact: Howard Garrison, PhD
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TODAY, ON WORLD ASTHMA DAY, LEARN ABOUT THE RESEARCH DISCOVERIES LEADING TO TREATMENTS FOR ASTHMA

Bethesda, MD – In recognition of World Asthma Day, the Federation of American Societies for Experimental Biology is highlighting its Breakthroughs in Bioscience article, “Breathtaking Discoveries: How Basic Research Led to Treatments for Asthma ," to illustrate the progress made against this chronic condition and to emphasize the importance of federally funded, biomedical research. The article describes how fundamental understanding of the immune system, inflammation, and the underlying causes of asthma have resulted in successful treatments for this complex disease, including improved inhalers and leukotriene inhibitors.

According to the National Institutes of Health (NIH), affects approximately 300 million people worldwide, representing a significant public health burden. In the United States, more than 22 million people have asthma, including 7 million children under the age of 6. While asthmatic attacks have been documented since ancient times, referenced in Egyptian papyri and Homer’s Iliad, it is only fairly recently that scientists have come to understand that asthma is not a single disease, but rather a collection of syndromes leading to common symptoms of breathlessness, wheezing, and coughing. Breakthrough discoveries by scientists funded by the NIH have greatly improved the quality of life for asthmatics, but there is still much work to be done through basic, clinical, and translational research. FASEB is urging Congress to increase funding for NIH by seven percent in fiscal year 2010.“This is a crucial time for science in the United States. After years of stagnant funding for research, Congress has recently made significant new investments in NIH. We thank Congress for their faith in the research community, and their generosity in providing the resources that are essential for progress in science,” said Richard Marchase, Ph.D., FASEB President.

The Breakthroughs in Bioscience series is a collection of illustrated articles, published by FASEB, that explain recent developments in basic biomedical research and how they are important to society. To obtain a free copy of these publications, visit the Breakthroughs in Bioscience Web site (http://opa.faseb.org/pages/Publications/breakthroughs.htm ) or contact FASEB’s Office of Public Affairs at (301) 634-7650.

FASEB is composed of 22 societies with more than 90,000 members, making it the largest coalition of biomedical research associations in the United States. FASEB enhances the ability of biomedical and life scientists to improve—through their research—the health, well-being and productivity of all people. Our mission is to advance health and welfare by promoting progress and education in biological and biomedical sciences through service to our member societies and collaborative advocacy.

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