Translational Medicine in Action : Asthma

Children in underserved neighborhoods are more likely to have asthma, and oftentimes their asthma tends to be more severe. Unfortunately, these kids also are far less likely to receive regular asthma care, including the latest treatments to manage the condition. Children’s National Medical Center takes advantage of every opportunity to give kids who struggle with controllable asthma greater access to effective solutions. Recently, Children’s National, in partnership with The George Washington University Medical Center, received the prestigious Clinical and Translational Science Award (CTSA) from the National Center for Research Resources of the National Institutes of Health. This award allows researchers at both institutions to collaborate together and with institutions across the country, on clinical research, and ultimately taking what they learn in the research lab and translating it into world-class care for the nation’s children.

Video: Children's Awarded NIH CTSA Grant for Translational Research

Jill Joseph, MD, PhD, director of the Clinical and Translational Science Institute at Children's National. More Videos | Play

Scientists on the top floors of the hospital’s main campus work together to unlock the complex interactions between the genetic and environmental factors related to lung tissue, allergies, and viral infections, all in an effort to better understand the triggers, as well as the medicines, that impact asthma at its most basic level. At the same time, Children’s affiliation with the Inner-City Asthma Consortium—a team of basic, clinical, and community researchers and physicians in major cities throughout the United States—allows children in low income neighborhoods of Washington, DC, to enroll in clinical trials of new medications under the careful watch of pediatric specialists.

In addition, trained educators in the communities of Southeast Washington, DC and in the Children’s National Emergency Department educate families about environmental factors like mold, dust and pests, as well as the importance of managing asthma day to day. The educators test which programs and messages keep kids out of the Emergency Department and in school. From laboratory to clinic room, and out to the neighborhoods most in need, these programs share information, trade results, and offer insight to each other, because they also share the same priority—easing the burden on families of living with asthma.