Scientific Projects

Current Fields Center projects are focused on the following areas of FSHD research:

 

Develop clinical practice guidelines for the care of individuals with FSHD. These practice guidelines will deal with issues such as genetic testing, physical therapy, exercise, bracing, scapular surgery and potential retinal and respiratory complications of FSHD. The guidelines will help standardize the care of patients with FSHD across the world.

Collect DNA and muscle biopsy samples from individuals with FSHD who are carefully evaluated to determine how the changes in the DNA influence the severity of the clinical symptoms and the changes observed on muscle biopsies.

The DNA samples collected from a large number of affected individuals will also serve to:

The collected muscle biopsy samples will used for a number of experiments:

Investigate the possibility that problems in blood vessels may be contributing to the damage to skeletal muscle.

 

For more information, please contact the Fields Center FieldsCenter@urmc.rochester.edu