BU RESEARCHER AWARDED FELLOWSHIP FROM NATIONAL SPACE BIOMEDICAL RESEARCH INSTITUTE

Friday, October 29, 2004

(Boston) – Andrew Judge, Ph.D., research associate at Boston University (BU) Sargent College of Health and Rehabilitation Sciences was recently named one of the first-ever National Space Biomedical Research Institute (NSBRI) Postdoctoral Fellows.

Over the next two years, Judge will be testing the ability of specific non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs (NSAID), such as aspirin, to reduce skeletal muscle weakness and deterioration due to simulated weightlessness.

While it is already known that reducing the use of skeletal muscles for a prolonged period of time causes significant loss of muscle size and function, there is currently no treatment for this. This is a common problem for individuals during spaceflight, bed rest or orthopedic injuries.

“This is an unbelievably exciting research opportunity for me,” said Judge. “I am extremely grateful to have the chance to pursue this research. I can't wait to get started on this work in what is an outstanding nationally recognized research laboratory.”

Judge is one of four investigators in the country to be named NSBRI Postdoctoral Fellows. He will receive $40,000 per year, become a member of one of NSBRI's research teams and spend time at the NASA Johnson Space Center learning about their research facilities and program. He was selected from a pool of applicants who submitted proposals to investigate a solution to a space health risk or to develop a technology needed to enable research or medical care in space.

“Andy will perform work that is a logical extension of our previous findings where we identified an NSAID sensitive pathway necessary for muscle atrophy. He is a serious and well suited scholar to test whether various NSAID drugs can inhibit muscle atrophy via the intracellular molecules implicated in this process,” said Susan Kandarian, Ph.D., Judge's mentor for this project and professor of health sciences at BU Sargent College.

The NSBRI's research program addresses bone and muscle loss, cardiovascular changes, sleep disturbances, balance and orientation, radiation exposure, immunology and infection, neurobehavioral and psychosocial factors, remote medical care and related technology, nutrition, physical fitness and rehabilitation. Research findings will also impact the understanding and treatment of similar medical conditions experienced on Earth.

Boston University (BU) Sargent College of Health and Rehabilitation Sciences is an institution of higher education, research and clinical centers whose premier academic programs prepare dynamic health professionals and whose research and leadership in the health and rehabilitation sciences is actively shaping health care. BU Sargent College is the only private institution in the country offering five nationally ranked graduate programs in health and rehabilitation sciences. For more information and to learn about degree programs in physical therapy, occupational therapy, communication disorders, health sciences, athletic training, nutrition, and rehabilitation counseling, visit http://www.bu.edu/sargent.