Jefferson researchers receive $3.9 million in Challe...(ealth will receive $1 million over two y...),Health

"As the prevalence of late-life depression among older African Americans is high, an economic evaluation of Beat the Blues has great potential for improving the lives of this vulnerable population," Dr. Gitlin said.

Dr. Gitlin and her team will calculate the cost and cost-effectiveness of Beat the Blues, which is being studied in a randomized two-group experimental design. Beat the Blues involves trained social workers who meet with the participants to provide depression education, develop tailored action plans to accomplish behavioral goals and teach stress reduction techniques, among other activities.

Maurizio Pacifici, Ph.D., director of Orthopedic Research, will receive $1 million over two years to study Hereditary Multiple Exostosis Syndrome (HME), a rare autosomal dominant disorder that affects about one in 50,000 children and adolescents. It is associated with bone malignant tumors, and causes growth retardation, continuous pain and limited mobility and fatigue.

"This project will thus provide a renewed sense of hope to patients and families alike that this neglected disease will actively be studied and a cure may one day be found," Dr. Pacifici said.

Dr. Pacifici and his team propose to identify and test mechanisms of HME pathogenesis in animal models. They will then test whether exostosis formation can be prevented by pharmacologic interference with a key growth plate signaling factor called Indian hedgehog. In preliminary studies, this signaling factor was abnormally distributed and its redistribution was followed by exostosis formation.

Scott Waldman, M.D., Ph.D., chairman of the department of Pharmacology and Experimental Therapeutics, will receive $1 million over two yea
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