Every journey begins with a single step.
One day, those patients affected with a relatively rare, but nonetheless devastating disease may credit MU researcher Helen Mullen with taking the first stride toward an elusive cure for their ailment. In her research using mice, Dr. Mullen has found an animal model in which mice develop granulomas similar to those associated with Wegener's granulomatosis. This development represents the first animal model for the disease. Wegener's patients have granulomas, or clumps of inflammatory cells, that commonly develop in upper respiratory passages, lungs and kidneys. Patients also suffer from a destructive inflammation of their blood vessels, called necrotizing vasculitis.