Organization: Oklahoma Medical Research Foundation
Mission: Oklahoma Medical Research Foundation (OMRF) is dedicated to developing a better understanding of and more effective treatments for human disease.
Activities: Arthritis and Clinical Immunology/Clinical Operations - When the pandemic struck, physicians and scientists in this program pivoted to assist in the fight against Covid-19. Rheumatologists tapped their expertise in autoimmune disease to offer insights on treating Covid-19 and prepared a comprehensive review of therapeutic and vaccine strategies. Others repurposed research equipment to create a diagnostic testing lab that helped ease testing shortages across the state. And in the largest, most comprehensive effort, a team of scientists who'd been studying anthrax received a federal grant to investigate why some people become extremely sick when infected with the virus, while others do not.
Cardiovascular Biology Research Program - A 2020 discovery in this program could pave the way for therapies to reverse vision loss common in premature infants and adults. In a study appearing in the Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences, OMRF scientists identified a compound that could give birth to therapies for a host of eye diseases that include retinopathy of prematurity and diabetic retinopathy. "Potentially, even patients with advanced disease progression could see their fortunes turned around," said Dr. Courtney Griffin, the senior author of the study. "This could be a major advance in treatment for vision loss in patients of all ages."
Aging and Metabolism Research Program - Scientists in this program study a host of different disease processes, but their work unites in a common theme: extending the health span of our aging population. In 2020, they progressed toward this goal in a variety of ways. One scientist launched a clinical trial of the diabetes drug metformin to study its effects on the aging process. Another began a collaborative study focused on countering osteoarthritis through the use of anti-inflammatory treatments and exercise therapy. The year ended with OMRF teaming with a pair of Oklahoma institutions to secure designation and funding by the National Institutes of Health as a Nathan Shock Center of Excellence in the Basic Biology of Aging, one of only eight in the U.S.
NTEE category: Medical Research
Secondary category: Voluntary Health Associations & Medical Disciplines