Dysautonomia
Foundation Research --
Current Projects
Felicia
B. Axelrod
The Dysautonomia Treatment and Evaluation Center at New York University Medical Center has been in existence and supported by the Dysautonomia Foundation since September 1970. The Center has multiple goals. In addition to delivering comprehensive medical care to dysautonomic patients and acting as a resource facility for parents, patients and physicians, the Center undertakes periodic review and analysis of its longitudinal data to determine incidence of particular problems and assess efficacy of various treatments. The Center collaborates across institutional lines and works with basic science and clinical research scientists at other medical centers.
Past collaborations with Drs. Slaugenhaupt and Gusella led to the identification of the FD gene, participation in multicenter drug trials led to use and FDA approval of Midodrine for low blood pressure, and collaboration with Dr. Luciano Bernardi’s team from Pavia, Italy has produced new insight regarding FD patients’ cardiovascular and cerebrovascular responses to hypoxia and hypercapnea. One of the most valuable members of the research effort during the past years has been Dr. Max Hilz. He has initiated much of the clinical research in the past few years and together we will continue to study neurophysiological responses of the FD population using such techniques as laser Doppler flow, QSART and microdialysis to study peripheral circulation as well as transcranial Doppler of the middle cerebral artery and cerebral SPECT analysis to assess cerebral perfusion. Some studies have been completed and are already impacting on patient treatment. In addition, the results of these will serve as the baseline to assess the FD patients’ responses to more definitive therapies that evolve from the genetic research.
Felicia
B. Axelrod, M. D.
Carl
Seaman Professor for Dysautonomia Treatment and Research
Pediatrics and Professor
Dr.
Axelrod received her undergraduate degree from Skidmore College and her M.D.
degree from New York University School of Medicine.
She completed her residency training in Pediatrics at Bellevue-New York
University Medical Center and had a one-year fellowship in Genetics at Mt.
Sinai. Since 1970 she has been the physician-director of the Dysautonomia
Treatment and Evaluation Center at NYU Medical Center. She has been honored by
the Dysautonomia Foundation for her contributions and been the recipient of the Solomon
A. Berson Medical Alumni Achievement Award in Health Science from NYU School of
Medicine. In October 2002, Dr.
Axelrod was given the Periclean Award for outstanding alumnus from Skidmore
College. She is a past president of the American
Autonomic Society.
Since
1969 Dr. Axelrod has concentrated on clinical research pertaining to the genetic
disorder Familial Dysautonomia. This has included descriptions of symptoms,
development of patient management programs, and analysis of statistical
information as well as a number of clinical research projects. In addition, she
has developed particular expertise in sensory and autonomic dysfunction, which
has led to numerous referrals of diagnostic problems regarding other
developmental autonomic and sensory neuropathies.