The Myocarditis Foundation, an international non-profit organization located in Point Pleasant, NJ, founded in 2005, is dedicated to increasing awareness and hastening progress in understanding this rare disease. Myocarditis is a disease that is marked by inflammation and scarring of the heart muscle which can progress rapidly to heart failure, and death or heart transplantation.
Candace C. Moose, spokesperson for The Myocarditis Foundation said, “The Foundation awards funds to support research related to all forms of myocarditis and to encourage physicians to study this rare disease. It is our hope that the research we fund will result in better diagnostic techniques and novel treatment modalities that will save more lives.”
The Foundation announced in third quarter 2011 that it was accepting Grant Applications until December 2011. Their international Medical Advisory Board, made up of leading myocarditis researchers from around the world, selected the grant recipients from a distinguished field of candidates. Today the Foundation is proud to announce the award of two Research Fellowship Grant recipients: Dr. Laure Case from the University of Vermont, and Dr. Kevin Quinn from the University of California in Los Angeles.
Dr. Leslie T. Cooper, Jr., of the Mayo Clinic and President of the Foundation commented,” We are pleased to support the career development of such outstanding physician-scientists and look forward to the contribution they will undoubtedly make in the field of myocarditis research.” Dr. Case’s research is directed toward the Y chromosome and determining the significance it plays in the onset of myocarditis. Dr. Quinn’s research is primarily directed on the study of different compounds to see which one could be used against enteroviral myocarditis infection.
Myocarditis is poorly understood and often under diagnosed. Several thousand patients per year are diagnosed in the United States. The disease usually attacks otherwise healthy people. Approximately 5-20% of all cases of sudden death in young adults are due to myocarditis. To help guarantee that new and innovative research avenues are thoroughly funded and explored, the Myocarditis Foundation raises money for research and physician and patient education. For more information about The Myocarditis Foundation, go to myocarditis.viewsamplesite.com