TULSA, OKLA. - Second-year University of Oklahoma pediatric resident Dr. Caroline Thompson has a professional and personal connection to cystic fibrosis patient care for children. A childhood friend had the disease and made a lasting impression on Thompson. Now, Thompson has received the Cystic Fibrosis Foundation's Medical Resident Research Award for a pilot study evaluating pharmacogenomic-directed therapy for pediatric patients at the Oklahoma Cystic Fibrosis Center Tulsa.
Pharmacogenomics, says Thompson, is the relationship between genes and how they interact with the drugs that we take. "[Pharmacogenomics is] particularly pertinent to the CF population because they have such a complex disease process that incorporates many different organ systems and therefore many different types of medications," she said. "And so it's really a huge aspect of their life and their treatment."
For this study, researchers will recruit as many as 40 children with CF and have their genetics tested. Once that information comes back, the findings will be compared against databases of previously researched and established gene and drug interactions, explains Thompson. Then, the patients and their families will be provided with education on current medications as well as any possible drug interactions for future use. To conclude the study, the participants and their families will be asked to share from their perspective whether the information was helpful for current care and how they felt it would work for their child.
