Usher Syndrome Experts Find Answers at Boys Town National Research Hospital
Posted on: Tuesday, 3 October 2006, 18:00 CDT
OMAHA, Neb., Oct. 3 /PRNewswire/ -- One hundred twenty scientists from around the world will convene Oct. 3-6 at Boys Town National Research Hospital in Omaha, Neb., for the First International Symposium on Usher Syndrome and Related Disorders.
The hospital is home to some of the world's leading experts on Usher Syndrome, a genetic disorder causing hearing loss at birth and gradual loss of vision in late adolescence or early adulthood. The National Center for the Study and Treatment of Usher Syndrome is headquartered at the hospital.
The purpose of the symposium is to facilitate the exchange of ideas between clinical researchers and scientists to improve understanding of the normal and pathologic processes involved in combined hearing and vision disorders. The symposium is jointly sponsored by Boys Town National Research Hospital and Sahlgrenska University Hospital in Gothenborg, Sweden, and funded by the National Institutes of Health's National Institute on Deafness and Communication Disorders (NIDCD) and the Foundation Fighting Blindness.
Scientists with the National Center for the Study and Treatment of Usher Syndrome identified three of the 10 genes suspected of causing the disorder. The discovery of these genes provides the foundation on which scientists worldwide are increasing their knowledge about the underlying genetic defect responsible for Usher Syndrome. The syndrome is as common as Huntington's Disease, Amyotrophic Lateral Sclerosis (ALS), commonly known as Lou Gehrig's Disease, and certain forms of muscular dystrophy.
More than 2,000 individuals with the disorder and their family members are participating in research projects sponsored by the hospital. Data from the studies are providing information on the prevalence of Usher syndrome. Long-term goals of the studies include the development of medical interventions to arrest the progress of the disorder and to provide the methods and technology for treatment and rehabilitation.
Boys Town National Research Hospital is a division of Girls and Boys Town. It provides nationally-oriented clinical and research programs focusing on childhood deafness, visual impairment and related communication disorders. Accredited by the Joint Commission on Accreditation of Healthcare Organizations (JCAHO), Boys Town National Research Hospital is dedicated to providing leading edge clinical care, ground-breaking research, and improving the lives of children and their families through education and technology.
Boys Town National Research Hospital
CONTACT: Marsha Johns of Boys Town National Research Hospital,+1-402-498-6744, or cell, +1-402-689-1231, mjohnsm@boystownhospital.org
Source: PRNewswire
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