The Ohio State University Wexner Medical Center expands treatment options for patients with COPD
Rama Mallampalli, MD, the new chair of the Ohio State Department of Internal Medicine, is conducting promising research to advance treatment for people with acute respiratory distress syndrome (ARDS).
“ARDS is a devastating illness most often caused by severe systemic infection or severe pneumonia,” explains Dr. Mallampalli. “Many patients have serious, long-term consequences, physical disabilities and lasting neurocognitive dysfunction. The mortality rate is about 30 percent.”
Right now, treatment involves mechanical ventilation and supportive care.
In the quest for potential new treatments, Dr. Mallampalli investigates the basic mechanisms of sepsis at the biochemical and molecular level and translates this in humans. He also studies lipid metabolism and protein breakdown as it relates to inflammation.
Key progress includes:
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The discovery of a rare protein involved in ARDS, called Fbxo3
Dr. Mallampalli and his team developed an oral drug that works against an inflammatory protein involved in protein breakdown in preclinical models of acute lung injury and multi-organ failure. The drug is moving rapidly through the FDA pipeline as an eventual treatment.
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New insight into pneumonia
Dr. Mallampalli’s lab also discovered that pneumonia patients had increased levels of a toxin called cardiolipin. This toxin causes cell death. Research continues and could lead to non-antibiotic therapies that block the actions of cardiolipin.
“Our goal is to relieve pain and suffering for acute lung injury patients,” says Dr. Mallampalli. “We want to help them live longer and healthier.”
Dr. Mallampalli is an internationally recognized expert for his innovative research in acute lung injury.
Learn more about innovations in care and research from the Division of Pulmonary, Critical Care and Sleep Medicine.
