With the planning for the graduate program in Biomedical Sciences nearing completion, the future of research continues to look bright. Research continues to expand its role at OSU-COM and adds significantly to the academic environment of the college. First, it keeps faculty in the mainstream of current knowledge; and second, it offers faculty and students a diversion from the classroom and exposure to the pursuit of new knowledge through scholarly pursuits. Graduate programs (MS, Ph.D., D.O./Ph.D.) are currently being developed under the program title of Biomedical Sciences. It is hoped that the program will be able to accept its first students for the Fall of 1994.
Research at OSU-COM, like any other medical school's, falls within two general categories, clinical and basic sciences. The first of these, Clinical Research, has goals in the areas of prevention, diagnosis and treatment of various diseases of man, and behavioral medicine. The second area, Biomedical or Basic Sciences Research involves faculty initiated research programs investigating health related issues using non-human models (i.e., animal and cell culture systems) in an effort to answer questions related to the basic mechanisms of cell-cell interactions, cell biology, physiology, pharmacology, microbiology, and biochemistry.
Residents in all clinical departments are required to pursue some form of scholarly activity. Many of these physicians become involved in research projects overseen by faculty, ranging from new drug trials to the study of basic questions pertaining to various medical problems or diseases. One project of this type started as a collaborative effort between a resident in emergency medicine and a faculty member at the College of Veterinary Medicine on the efficacy of various treatment regimens for snake bites. The resident has completed his program but continues to pursue his interests in this area in conjunction with Dr. Charlotte Ownby at the College of Veterinary Medicine.
The research program at OSU-COM actively encourages medical students to become involved in research. Programs range from original questions posed by the student to a simple involvement with ongoing research projects at the College. The Auxiliary to the Oklahoma Osteopathic Association sponsors a Student Research Fellowship Program, which rewards student interest and activity in clinical and basic research projects. Our hope is that programs such as this one will help our college train physician researchers for the future.
Other areas of interest include arthritis, alcoholism/alcohol metabolism, reproductive endocrinology, and several studies relating to infectious diseases (i.e., immunology, virology, and bacteriology). Some of the externally funded projects include an NIH-funded study in the effectiveness of various analgesic compounds to relieve pain using an amphibian (frog) model. Another is studying renal function as it relates to sodium/potassium transport and acid/base balance. In the general area of microbiology, funded projects include EPA funding for studying the prevalence of pathogenic ameba in the waters of Northeastern Oklahoma and immunologic properties of small venom factors in snake venom and melanoma tumor immunology. Another project, in collaboration with scientists at Max Planck Institute in Germany, is studying cell wall components of bacteria that can induce toxic shock. Another ongoing project studies cytoskeletal changes in the cells of joints during the development of arthritis.
In an increasingly competitive market for funds to perform research, the program at OSU-COM has been able to continue its slow but steady growth, contributing to the academic environment of the college and also making contributions to the quality of life for the citizens of Oklahoma. As the program grows through the recruitment of new research faculty in the clinical and basic sciences, we will see increases in the availability of new drugs and technologies that will be of direct benefit to the people of this state.