The CFCR appreciates Alek's efforts in raising over $40,000 to fight Celiac Disease!  Please consider adding your online donation now.

Alek Komarnitsky from Boulder, CO (USA) has had thousands of Christmas lights (and now Halloween lights!) on his house for the enjoyment of friends and neighbors since 1999. In 2002, he got the brilliant crazy idea to add a webcam and webcontrol, so people on the Internet could not only view his lights, but turn them on & off and see the results on their computer screen via the christmas webcam. It got increasingly popular each year, and in 2004, a media frenzy erupted over it and the story went around the world on the Internet, in print, on radio, and on TV - one of the more entertaining segments was when Denver ABC-7 took him up in their helicopter for a live report on their 6:00 News of the blinking lights.

There was only one problem - it was all a fun little Christmas hoax. The lights were real, but a sequence of still images were used to provide the illusion that people were changing them. Alek's wife Wendy was changing the lights when the chopper was overhead, but the rest of the time they never blinked! ;-)

Concerned that his prank had gotten out of hand, Alek approached the Wall Street Journal to fess up and "High Tech Holiday Light Display Draws Everyone But the Skeptics" revealed the hoax after Christmas. Needless to say, the media howled over this change of events, and another round of international publicity ensued as people around the world got a good post-holiday chuckle.

In 2005, Alek did it for real. He also realized that after his 15 minutes of fame in 2004, he might be able to garner 15 seconds in 2005 and use it to raise awareness and money for Celiac Disease, which is something his kids have.

While he suggested a headline of "High Tech Holiday Display Says 'Bring on the Skeptics!'" - the Washington Post wrote "From Web Hoaxer to Helper" that discussed his fund-raising efforts for the Center for Celiac Research as $3,731 was donated because of his (go figure!) Christmas Lights. After Dr. Fasano "took control of everything [at Alek's house]" he was then quoted saying "hats off to this fella"

The Rocky Mountain News concluded that Alek's three ChristmasCams (three more than previous years!) were real as was his use of X10 powerline technology to control them. I.e. people on the Internet really could turn them on & off via the web and see the results ... along with his very understanding neighbors who graciously OK'ed the (real this time) blinking light show. And in keeping with Alek's whimsical nature, his Santa Tracker has "video footage" of Santa Claus and his reindeer (led by Rudolph with his shiny red nose) stopping by Christmas Eve.

While www.komar.org has always been free to Internet surfers around the world, Alek encourages those people who enjoy the christmas lights show to consider making a direct contribution to the CFCR.

His two sons have Celiac Disease, so this cause is important to him. Individuals and companies that donate are listed on his high traffic web site for Christmas lights fans around the world to see.

(To purchase the audible version of this article, click here.)

Celiac disease, a condition characterized by sensitivity to gluten, a protein found in wheat, has won the attention of the medical community only in recent years. The genetic disorder affects as many as one out of 133 Americans, according to a groundbreaking 2003 study by Dr. Fasano, professor of pediatrics and director of the University of Maryland Center for Celiac Research at the University of Maryland School of Medicine. The National Institutes of Health estimates that about 2 million people in the U.S. have celiac disease, and that more than 95 percent of people with the condition go undiagnosed.

Dr. Fasano’s article in Scientific American chronicles the evolution of celiac disease, beginning 10,000 years ago in the Middle East at the birth of agriculture. When ancient people learned to plant seeds, they developed grains such as wheat, rye and barley. The consumption of these grains marked the emergence of celiac disease. In patients with the disorder, gluten triggers an autoimmune reaction, producing antibodies that destroy the small intestine. There are no drugs to treat the disease; patients usually control their symptoms with a gluten-free diet.

Wheat - Dr. Fasano writes in Scientific American - is the third element necessary in order for celiac disease to manifest itself. Celiac patients must also have a genetic predisposition to the disorder, as well as an unusual permeable intestinal wall. The article details how celiac disease flew under the medical community’s radar for so long. In fact, Dr. Fasano’s own 2003 study was most extensive search for Americans with celiac disease that had ever been done. It found that the disease was more than 100 times more prevalent than previously believed.

The article describes how gluten induces the celiac patient’s immune system to attack the intestine and cause chronic indigestion and diarrhea. Symptoms less obviously tied to celiac disease include anemia, osteoporosis, chronic fatigue and even schizophrenia. Dr. Fasano also discusses how current research is exploring treatments for celiac disease, including studies sponsored by Alba Therapeutics, which is based in the University of Maryland BioPark. And he writes of how his own research and that of others is examining the connections between celiac disease and other autoimmune disorders.

“We can begin to hope that this disease, which has followed humanity from the dawn of civilization, is facing its last century on earth,” Dr. Fasano writes.

May named Celiac Awareness Month by Mayor Sheila Dixon for the City of Baltimore and by Governor Martin O'Malley for the State of Maryland!! To view proclamations, click here.

The 8th International Run/Walk for Celiac Disease, Making Tracks for Celiacs, was held on Sunday May 3, 2009 in downtown Baltimore. Once again, this event was a huge success! Despite the rain, more than 600 runners participated, to show their support for celiac disease research and finding a cure. A little over $60,000 was raised to benefit the Center for Celiac Research.

The Center for Celiac Research also received two proclamations naming May “Celiac Awareness Month”, one from Mayor Sheila Dixon for the City of Baltimore and the other from Governor Martin O’Malley for the State of Maryland. What great strides towards the national effort to make May “National Celiac Awareness Month”!

In spite of being drenched, runners still had smiles on their faces as they crossed the finish line on the indoor field of the Clarence “Du” Burns arena. The race also had the most vendors ever at any walk so far, which was terrific - there were lots of delicious gluten-free samples for participants to try. In addition, Louie from the Bowie Baysox was a big hit with the kids in the Children’s Room, and Steve Davis showed his support by emceeing the award and prize ceremonies.

All in all, it was a terrific turnout and a fundraising success. Thank you to everyone who participated, donated, sponsored or volunteered at this year’s Making Tracks for Celiacs!

Chip in for Celiac was such a huge success here in Baltimore last October that we decided to expand to other states, beginning with Connecticut.  Chris Wheeler, from the New Haven area, has taken on the role of Tournament Director for this year’s Connecticut Chip in for Celiac.  Because Chris’ life has been touched by someone with celiac disease, he has made a goal to help support celiac disease research and increase awareness by raising much needed funds for the Center.

This year’s Connecticut Chip in for Celiac will occur Friday May 15^th, 2009 at the Whitney Farms Golf Course.  A foursome is $700 and individuals are $175.  If you can only join for dinner, it’s $75.  Amenities for this tournament include: lunch, awards, raffle, silent auction, dinner and a Chip in for Celiac golf shirt.  Proceeds will go to the Center for Celiac Research and a donation will be made to the Greater New Haven Celiac Group to help support awareness programs and children’s activities.

There is a variety of sponsorship opportunities as well if you think your company would like to help support celiac disease research.  Please see the attached information on all available sponsorships.

If you’re interested in participating, you can fill out the golfer registration, which you will find to the right of this article.  Or you can contact Chris, the tournament director, at cifcgt@yahoo.com and 203-463-9422.  We hope to have your support!!

SAVE THE DATE: Baltimore’s Chip in for Celiac Tuesday October 6^th, 2009!

Multiple cities across the nation organize their own Celiac Run/Walk in conjunction with the Center for Celiac Research's 5K Run/Walk and 10K Run.  Funds raised from every event support celiac disease research and national and local awareness programs.  Over the past 7 years, the participating cities have brought in more than $1.5 million, with outstanding turn-outs of eager runners and walkers.

Cash prizes of $100, $50, and $25 will be awarded to the top three men and women in the open division. Age group awards will go to the top male and female in the masters division and to the top three in the following age groups (equal male and female): under 12, 12-15, 16-19, 20-29, 30-39, 40-49, 50-59, 60-69, 70 and above. There will be no duplication of prizes. Parents must accompany children under 12. The awards ceremony will take place in the Clarence "Du" Burns Arena, where there will also be gluten-free refreshments, a vendor fair, special children's activities, a silent auction and a raffle for a variety of prizes after the race.

Registration for the 5K and 10K is $30 ($15 for racers under age 13) before April 23, 2009 and $35 ($20 for racers under 13) from April 23 until race day. You must be 13 years or older to run the 10K.  Register online at www.celiacwalk.org. Day-of-race registration will be available at the "Du" Burns Arena starting at 8am. If you wish to pick up your packet before the event, you may do so at Charm City Run on Saturday, May 2, 2009 from Noon - 3pm. They're located at 2045 York Road in Timonium, next to the Nautalis Diner. Call (410) 561-3570 for directions.

All entrants will receive a technical t-shirt, which is also new this year! For every $100 in fundraising a participant raises, he/she will also be given a free ticket for the raffle being held after the race.

Not up for running or walking? Come volunteer! All volunteers receive a T-shirt and a free raffle entry. Volunteers are especially wanted for the set-up before the event. Entrants can come early to volunteer for set-up (and get a free raffle ticket) and still participate in the run/walk.

For more information or to volunteer, please email celiacwalk@yahoo.com.

The graduation ceremony was attended by UMB President David J. Ramsay, Dean E. Albert Reece, MD, PhD, MBA,  Alessio Fasano, MD, director of the University of Maryland center for Celiac Research, and the center's director of operations Pam King.

Celiac disease is a genetic disorder affecting children and adults. People with Celiac Disease are unable to eat foods that contain gluten, which is found in wheat and other grains. It is believed that one in every 100/150 Italians has celiac disease.

“This collaboration is really a prestigious initiative,” said Adriano Pucci, president of the Italian Celiac Society. "Professor Fasano is a native of our land, and we are honored to have him involved in our project," said Pucci. Also participating in the degree program is the University of Salerno, the University Politecnica delle Marche, and the Scuola Medica Salernitana Foundation.

Michele Wallick is sailing 7,000 nautical miles across the South Atlantic to raise funds for awareness of the estimated 2,700,000 undiagnosed Americans with Celiac Disease.   Celiac Disease is a genetic autoimmune disease wherein a person’s immune system attacks the lining of their intestines and requires a life-long gluten free diet.  All donations will be used to create and distribute an educational package for general medical practitioners.  This educational package will leverage previously developed educational material from the research expertise of University of Maryland’s Center for Celiac Research  (www.celiaccenter.org) and the gluten free community network of the Gluten Intolerant Group of North America(www.gluten.net).  Because the symptoms of Celiac Disease are so common and often different for each individual, it is difficult for a general practitioner to diagnose or even recommend a referral to a gastrointestinal doctor.  This educational package will guide the general practitioner through the steps needed to recognize and diagnosis Celiac Disease.

Michele received her Celiac “genetic marker” from her father who battled with intestinal cancers for the last ten years of his life.  As many Americans with intestinal problems, he was never tested for Celiac Disease.  If these Americans continue to go undiagnosed, then depression, osteoporosis, infertility and even the possibility of fatal cancer could result.  Typical symptoms include severe constipation, bloating, diarrhea and headaches to name a few.    When Michele ingests gluten, even a small crumb, there is an autoimmune reaction that makes her very sick and in bed for about two days.  This reaction causes damage to the “villa” in her upper intestines which can increase her chances for cancer and malnutrition because nutrients cannot be extracted from the food.  Michele was diagnosed with Celiac Disease in December 2006 which requires her to eat a strict gluten free diet for the rest of her life.  There are approximately 300,000 people already diagnosed with Celiac Disease in the United States. 

Gluten is a composite of proteins found in wheat, barley and rye.  It’s often easy for people to imagine living without bread, pasta, beer, cereal and processed food as we know it.   However, the difficult aspect is the hidden gluten and cross contamination.  The FDA does not require gluten to be labeled on the ingredients list which makes it extremely difficult to purchase food.  Hidden gluten is often found in flavorings and is used as a thickener, stabilizing agent or emulsifier in many processed foods such as condiments and marinades.  Cross contamination can occur during the manufacturing process, through grills with previous gluten items, toasters, knives or cutting boards with gluten crumbs, fryers with breadcrumbs or spatulas and spoons with gluten from another food.  Imagine how difficult it is to eat at a friend’s house or in a restaurant dealing with ignorance of hidden gluten and cross contamination.  Even though a gluten free diet can be extremely challenging, Michele’s diagnosis has not slowed her down or restricted her travel. 

Michele and her husband Greg will be leaving on their sailing catamaran from Cape Town, South Africa in January 2009.  Their journey will begin by provisioning their boat with enough food for the six to eight weeks of the approximately 7,000 nautical mile South Atlantic crossing.  They will explore the western coast of South Africa before they sail toward the British Colony of St. Helena, an isolated island in the middle of the Atlantic.  There are no flights into St. Helena and you can only reach the island by anchoring your boat and requesting a local shuttle boat pick you up to come ashore.  After leaving St. Helena, they will navigate toward the tropical volcanic Brazilian islands of Fernando de Noronha.  

As you might image, eating gluten free becomes your lifestyle and is an integral part of you and your family.  Unfortunately, diagnosis often severely restricts vacations and even normal social activities.  If you are determined to live your life to the fullest, then there are plenty of gluten free solutions and a network of local and national support groups that are waiting to help you.  Michele believes there is a gluten free solution for every situation and has inspired many from her travel articles and discussions regarding gluten free creativity.  Attitude is her key to success.

You will be able to read about her adventures, track their progress across the Atlantic, and donate toward the Celiac Awareness Campaign at Michele’s website www.gfadventures.com.   Please consider helping Michele find the 2,700,000 undiagnosed Americans by donating to create and distribute a Celiac Disease educational package for general medical practitioners.

Dear Friends:

During this holiday time, we're filled with gratitude for our many kind friends and supporters who have generously supported the Center for Celiac Research (CFCR) for the past 12 years.  Let's think back and reflect on some of the Center's accomplishments and how your donations have made it all possible.  Twelve years ago, the CFCR had just opened the first celiac center in the world, celiac disease (CD) was overlooked in the US, a good test for diagnosing CD did not exist, and the US lacked a food labeling law that would benefit the celiac community.  We thought we would share with you one of our loyal supporter's thoughts on Dr. Fasano and the Center:

“I personally believe that if it were not for Dr. Fasano’s initiatives, which have propelled the current movement, the celiac community would not be where it is today. If he had not done the study to show 1 in 133 people are affected by CD, where would we be today?? Let alone he has hit the medical circuits and lectures around the world, created the TTG test, was an instrumental force in getting the food labeling law passed, discovered zonulin and conducted the study that measures the acceptable level of gluten for the new gluten-free labeling law. Dr. Fasano does not go around trying to increase his reputation (personally I think it stands on it own) but rather is busy making a difference. My father always told me talk is cheap and action speaks louder than words. So please, measure a man (person) by his actions rather than his words and give to the Center’s annual fund campaign”.

2008 - Another Outstanding Year!!!!!!!!!

Alek Komarnitsky from Boulder, Colorado has just been named the winner of the 2008 Kentucky Fried Chicken Original Holiday Traditions contest.  America voted his Christmas Light spectacle the most original.  The prize: $1,000 cash and KFC for a whole year!  While Alek said he is tempted to use the $1,000 grand prize to buy even more Christmas Lights, he asked KFC to donate the cash prize directly to the Center for Celiac Research at the University of Maryland, which they have done, so THANK YOU, Alek!! This wonderful surprise brings the total amount raised through donations from the Christmas Lights website to over $35,000, all of which goes towards helping to find a cure for celiac disease at the CFCR. 

Alek says he looks forward to a year of free KFC including many Two Originals Meals and (his favorite) numerous Buckets of Extra Crispy Chicken!

The Controllable Christmas Lights for Celiac Disease are an annual tradition on the Internet as over the years, millions of people worldwide (148 countries so far in 2008) have viewed the 20,000+ Christmas lights via three live webcams on the totally free, fun, and zany www.komar.org website.  Check it out!

A new study from researchers at the Center for Celiac Research at the University of Maryland School of Medicine answers a fundamental question relating to the cause of celiac disease and, possibly, other autoimmune disorders such as Type I diabetes and multiple sclerosis.

People with celiac disease must not eat foods containing gluten, a protein found in wheat. For them, gluten triggers an autoimmune response in which the immune system attacks the body, leading to a wide spectrum of serious health problems.

The new study, published in the July 2008 issue of the journal Gastroenterology, identifies the key gluten receptor in the intestine that opens the gateway through which gluten enters the body and triggers a faulty immune response in celiac patients.

The receptor, called CXCR3, is critical to the early stages of the faulty immune response. Pinpointing it could help doctors treat celiac disease more effectively, according to Alessio Fasano, M.D., professor of Pediatrics, Medicine and Physiology of the University of Maryland School of Medicine and medical director of the Center for Celiac Research.

"This is a scientific question that had never been answered before," Dr. Fasano says. "It is not only significant in the basic science of autoimmune disorders such as celiac disease, but in therapeutic approaches for the future. This opens a new scientific paradigm for the study of immunity.

There are three key components of celiac disease, according to Dr. Fasano. One is genes, and researchers have already identified a number of genes that seem common among celiac patients, but none that are consistently found in all patients.

The second component is the environmental trigger that leads to the autoimmune attack. Triggers have remained elusive for all autoimmune diseases except celiac disease, in which gluten is the undisputable trigger.

The third component is a leaky gut, wherein the barrier of the intestine becomes permeable enough to allow in the offending antigen — in this case, gluten, to come through.

Researchers at the Center for Celiac Research found that gliadin, the component of gluten that proves problematic for celiac patients, binds to the receptor called CXCR3.

This interaction between gliadin and CXCR3 triggers the release of a human protein called zonulin, which opens up the intestinal barrier to make it more permeable. In healthy patients, this effect is temporary. In celiac patients, the effect is long-term, and the results can be devastating.

The findings may be significant for other autoimmune disorders as well, Dr. Fasano says. The same process may occur in patients with Type I diabetes and multiple sclerosis, in which the intestines are the port of entry or the pathway through which the offending antigens in these and other autoimmune disorders get into the body, he explains.
 

"For the first time, we have evidence of how the foreign antigen gains access to the body, causing the autoimmune response," according to Dr. Fasano, who is also a pediatric gastroenterologist at the University of Maryland Medical Center. "Further study is needed, but this could allow us to intervene before the zonulin is either released or activated, preventing the immune response altogether."

Hard to stomach

A UM gastroenterologist is looking for a cure to celiac disease, a perplexing disorder triggered by a common protein: gluten

By Stephanie Desmon, Sun reporter

In one examining room is an adorable 2-year-old girl in pigtails who is finally gaining weight. In the past six weeks, she has put on 2 pounds - in the year before that, she gained just 1.

In another room is an athletic 11-year-old whose debilitating migraines caused her to miss long stretches of school, spend time in two hospital emergency rooms and go back and forth between doctors in an effort to find out why she was so sick.

Down the clinic hallway is a 20-year-old college student who's exhausted all the time with unexplained stomach pains.

All three patients of Dr. Alessio Fasano have different symptoms. Yet all could have the same malady: celiac disease.

This autoimmune disorder interferes with absorption of nutrients from food and is triggered by the consumption of gluten, a protein in wheat and other grains found in many staples of the American diet, including pizza, pasta and bread.

For all the misery they cause, most celiac symptoms disappear with a simple if inconvenient lifestyle alteration: eliminating gluten from the diet. Doctors are working on a pill that could eliminate that hassle, too.

Fasano is a gastroenterologist who directs the Center for Celiac Research at the University of Maryland School of Medicine. In 2003, he found that the disease - once believed to be rare - might instead be found in as many as 3 million people in the United States. That's nearly 1 percent of the population.

Fasano's pioneering study helped persuade the National Institutes of Health to recognize the problem and encourage doctors to look beyond the traditional celiac symptoms of malnutrition and diarrhea in their medical textbooks.

"The problem is celiac disease often is not on their radar screen," Fasano said. They often don't realize celiac can manifest itself as anemia, infertility or any number of medical problems - and can appear at any age.

Now Fasano and his colleagues are trying to build on their research. In a paper published last summer, they determined that targeted screening of patients with just one symptom associated with celiac led to a more than 40-fold increase in diagnosis.

The screening is a relatively inexpensive blood test - one that may provide an elusive diagnosis for patients who have been feeling lousy for months or even years.

"The average duration of symptoms before diagnosis is probably 10 years," said Dr. Charles O. Elson, a gastroenterologist at the University of Alabama at Birmingham and chairman of the NIH panel that looked into celiac in 2004.

Fasano and colleagues are at work on an alternative to the gluten-free diet, despite increasing availability of gluten-free foods on supermarket shelves, from Internet vendors and in restaurants.

They hope to develop a pill that a celiac patient can take before eating gluten to enable its digestion - similar to the Lactaid pills taken by lactose-intolerant people who want to eat dairy products.

In Baltimore, at a clinic inside the University of Maryland Medical Center, Fasano sees patients who will learn from him whether they have celiac disease.

For some, a diagnosis will be a relief, an answer to why they have felt so ill for so long - and an answer that is not a death sentence. But others dread the possibility of being sentenced to life without many of their favorite foods.

"The most frustrating part was not knowing what it was," said Mike Benecky, whose 11-year-old daughter, Sarah, received a celiac diagnosis in late October. "But a kid without pizza and chicken nuggets - it takes a lot out of your life."

Benecky said he was surprised about how common celiac is. One of Sarah's soccer teammates has the condition. So does one of his wife's colleagues.

Doctors have long known about celiac disease, but for many years they believed it was a stomach ailment that mainly afflicted children. A Dutch researcher accidentally pinpointed the link between wheat and celiac disease after World War II, when he noted that celiac cases had disappeared when wheat was rationed and replaced in flour by potato starch.

Humans, it seems, may not have been designed to eat wheat, a product that was not around until the dawn of the agricultural age.

In recent years, researchers have learned that celiac disease is not a simple gluten allergy, but a sickness that attacks the intestine in the way diabetes attacks the pancreas or multiple sclerosis attacks the brain.

Left untreated - that is, when patients continue to consume gluten - it can cause long-term damage and lead to increased risks for osteoporosis and even lymphoma.

Celiac disease, Fasano said, is the only autoimmune disorder for which the trigger is known. Those with genes linked to the disease will get sick only when they eat gluten. In diabetes and multiple sclerosis, by way of contrast, the exact triggers remain unknown.

Morris Blanco of Pikesville, a college student at New York's Yeshiva University, has chronic constipation, is tired all the time and has lost weight as he has added and subtracted things from his diet to figure out what is making him sick. He has been poked and prodded for years to no avail.

He came to Fasano for help. But Fasano looked at his bloodwork and other test results, only to conclude this one would not be an easy diagnosis.

"I would consider celiac disease very unlikely," the doctor told Blanco.

Gwen Hedeman was a happy baby who started getting sick when she was about 9 months old. She often had diarrhea and was sleeping 18 to 20 hours a day. She didn't gain weight, and when she stood next to a child her age, she was dwarfed.

The pediatrician was stumped. A second doctor agreed to her mother's request for a celiac screening, since her aunts have the disease. The blood test came back positive a few weeks before Gwen's second birthday. Gluten was quickly eliminated from the toddler's diet, and she is now energetic and gaining weight on track.

"I've seen such a difference in her," said her mother, Jennifer.

The diagnosis still must be confirmed with an endoscopy, an invasive test that involves anesthesia and worries Gwen's parents.

Her mother is concerned because the test would require reverting to a regular diet for a while, which would make her daughter sick again.

But Fasano thinks a lifetime on a gluten-free diet is such a hardship that he advises even young patients like Gwen to have the endoscopy - just to be completely sure.

Cutting out the obvious - the cookies and cakes and breads -isn't as hard as catching the gluten in many other, less obvious foods, where it's used as a glue to hold things together.

Still, Fasano gets great pleasure in telling long-suffering patients that he has figured out what they have - and while the answer isn't easy to deal with, it is within reach.

"What frustrates me is to say, 'I don't know what the heck I can do for you,'" Fasano said. He prefers, "I know what's wrong with you, and I can fix it.

"In medicine, if you find the solution to the problem and have a remedy, you really fulfill your mission."

Hundreds gathered in historic Westminster Hall for the final campus-wide event celebrating the bicentennial of the University of Maryland School of Medicine. The reception was held on November 29th, 2007, exactly one year after the bicentennial kick-off, which launched the year-long celebration.

"The close of the bicentennial brings a measure of sadness but provides lasting memories and greater recognition from the multiple audiences we reached," said E. Albert Reece, M.D., Ph.D., M.B.A., dean of the University of Maryland School of Medicine. "I am honored to have presided over this milestone year."

In addition to faculty, staff, student and alumni, special guests included University System of Maryland Chancellor William E."Brit" Kirwan, Ph.D.  "Thanks to the bicentennial year, people across the state and nation have a much better understanding of the incredible contributions this school of medicine has made both within Maryland and around the world," he said.

View a 20 minute video of the event and remarks (Real Video Required).

The reception also included special recognition for the University of Salerno School of Medicine (Scuola Medica Salernitana). The first medical school in the Western world, the University of Salerno School of Medicine closed its doors in the early 1800s, just as the University of Maryland began offering medical classes in historic Davidge Hall. Now, the University of Salerno is reopening its medical school and will collaborate with the University of Maryland. Learn More.

Guests were able to view a slideshow of bicentennial memories with pictures of those who participated in a year long series of bicentennial events. Among them:  Baseball hall of famer Cal Ripken Jr., singer Patti LaBelle, humorist Garrison Keillor, and former U.S. Attorney General Janet Reno. Bicentennial events in 2007 included a special lecture series featuring noted physicians and researchers, who helped shed light on diseases such as diabetes, Parkinson’s disease, and stroke.

The final reception was reminiscent of a party that might have been thrown in 1807 by School of Medicine founder John Beale Davidge, with a menu that included plum pudding and wassail. First-year medical student and pianist Jessica Shiu entertained the crowd with traditional seasonal songs and classical music. The reception featured special displays of bicentennial activities sponsored by many of our 25 departments, such as event photos, departmental histories, posters and journal articles.

Chancellor Kirwan may have summed up the feelings of the participants best.  “The most exciting thing for me is that with this remarkable institution, the best is yet to come," he said.  "The School of Medicine may have its roots in the 1800s, but its future is pure 21st century."

In recognition of this partnership, E. Albert Reece, M.D., Ph.D., M.B.A., dean of the University of Maryland School of Medicine, awarded the Dean’s Gold Medal to Professor Raimondo Pasquino, President of the University of Salerno, and Dr. Vincenzo DeLuca, President of the Scuola Medica Salernitana Foundation, in a ceremony held November 29^th in historic Davidge Hall. "The dean's medal goes to an individual who has provided outstanding service to the School of Medicine and whose contributions to research, patient care and community service has advanced the recognition and standing of the School of Medicine," explained Alessio Fasano, MD, professor of Pediatrics, Medicine and Physiology and director of the Center for Celiac Research and the Mucosal Biology Research Center. 

Salima Siler Marriott, DSW, Baltimore's deputy mayor for Community and Human Development, also joined in the festivities. She read a proclamation from Baltimore's Mayor Sheila Dixon recognizing the School of Medicine's bicentennial. Deputy Mayor Marriott compared the University of Maryland School of Medicine to the Hope diamond in terms of its value to the city of Baltimore and the state of Maryland.

People suffering from celiac disease routinely wait for years to get an accurate diagnosis, because the disorder causes a wide variety of symptoms and there is a lack of awareness of celiac disease among many primary care physicians. But a study by researchers at the Center for Celiac Research at the University of Maryland School of Medicine has found that when primary care physicians offer to test all patients with symptoms of celiac disease, the diagnostic rate increases 32- to 43-fold. Early diagnosis is important to prevent serious consequences from celiac disease. Results from the multi-center study were recently published in the American Journal of Gastroenterology.

"In countries where most people are of European ancestry, celiac disease is one of the most common lifelong disorders," says Alessio Fasano, M.D., professor of pediatrics, medicine and physiology at the University of Maryland School of Medicine and director of its Center for Celiac Research. "In the United States, many cases remain undiagnosed because symptoms vary from person to person and because physicians have not been adequately trained in what to look for. However, a diagnosis means that patients can be advised to eat a gluten-free diet in order to stop the progression of celiac disease. If the chronic symptoms continue, patients are at risk of long-term complications such as anemia, infertility, osteoporosis or even cancer."

Celiac disease is a genetic disorder affecting adults and children. People with the disorder are unable to eat foods that contain gluten, which is found in wheat and other grains. Ingestion of gluten in people with celiac disease sets off an autoimmune reaction that causes the destruction of the villi in the small intestine. A previous study by the University of Maryland Center for Celiac Research found that nearly one out of every 133 Americans suffers from celiac disease. It is twice as common as Crohn’s disease, ulcerative colitis and cystic fibrosis combined.

"The projected number of people in the United States with celiac disease could be as high as three million, yet only a small fraction of these cases has been correctly diagnosed and treated," says Dr. Fasano, lead author on the paper. "For this reason, we undertook a multi-center, case-finding study using blood testing of adults who were seeking medical attention from their primary care physician. We wanted to know whether an active case-finding strategy could increase the frequency of diagnosis, and we also wanted to know the most common clinical presentations of the condition in primary care settings."

The study was conducted at 25 locations in the United States and Canada from 2002 to 2004. During the 12 months preceding the study, only 15 patients had been diagnosed with celiac disease out of 54,988 individuals seen by the participating practices. For the study, any individual over the age of 18 seeking care from a physician at a study site was informed of the study and asked to participate. Those who volunteered completed a questionnaire assessing their risk for celiac disease. Those who indicated they had one or more risk factors were then eligible for the study. All at-risk individuals were provided information about celiac disease and were offered free blood testing. In total, 976 people were enrolled in the study.

"Celiac disease was diagnosed in 22 of the 976 enrolled patients," says Dr. Fasano. "In our study, the diagnostic rate increased from 0.05 percent to 2.3 percent. This is a conservative estimate, as more cases could have been detected among the 666 individuals who were eligible for the study but refused the blood screening test."

Additionally, patients experiencing intestinal symptoms such as diarrhea, irritable bowel syndrome, constipation and bloating, as well as non-intestinal symptoms such as thyroid diseases, iron-deficient anemia and osteoporosis were at higher risk for celiac disease compared with the general population.

"Based on the results of this study, we strongly recommend that all individuals be screened by their primary care physician for the large variety of clinical manifestations and conditions associated with celiac disease," says Dr. Fasano. "Those with one or more symptoms should have a blood test and, if positive, should be referred for definitive diagnosis by means of an intestinal biopsy. These results have implications that may result in better patient care, a more cost-effective approach to the diagnosis of celiac disease and a greater awareness among health-care professionals and the general public in North America."

This was a multicenter prospective study involving adult subjects during years 2002-2004, attending one of the participating practices.  All individuals with symptoms or conditions known to be associated with CD were tested.  The year prior to the study, only 15 cases out of approximately 55,000 subjects seen by the physician network were diagnosed with CD.  After our intervention, the rate of diagnosis of CD increased by 40-fold.

This study demonstrates that an active case-finding strategy in the primary care setting had several positive outcomes:  (1) it is an effective way to improve the diagnostic rate of CD; (2) increased  the awareness of CD among primary care physicians; (3) increased the cost savings for health care insurances related to the diagnosis and treatment of patients that repeatedly  use the health care system because of ongoing complaints;  (4) shortened  the time from the onset of  the symptoms  to diagnosis (currently this period is between 10-12 years), and (5)identified the most frequent symptoms/conditions at risk for CD.

After touring our laboratory, the kids listened to a brief lecture about celiac disease. They learned  how people with celiac disease can go undiagnosed for years and that the disease is genetic. Along with lab staff, Debby explained symptoms of the disease and its effects on the body. To their surprise, they learned that those affected with celiac disease cannot eat wheat food products - which means no pizza! However, because of the important research being done at the Center, and our efforts to increase awareness about this condition, there is an array of food options for the celiac community.

To further show how science and medicine are related, they looked at Endomysial Antibody (EMA) test results (both positive & negative) through a microscope, which is primarily used in our lab. For our patients, we typically use the Tissue Transglutaminase (tTG) blood test – a faster, more effective celiac test.

This exercise proved very exciting for the youngsters, as they had an opportunity to see live tissue culture cells. Lab staff and Debby then had the children perform a take-home lab experiment, which she coined as the Density Color Change Experiment.                                   

The premise of the experiment was to determine which solution is a soluble liquid, so the kids examined water & oil using food coloring. The children loved this experiment, because they were able to take their results and instructions with them, so they can share what they’ve learned. They closed their visit to the Center with a quick visit from Dr. Alessio Fasano, who wished them well in their future endeavors.

Saturday, Sept. 29 from 10:30-3:00pm at the Loews Hotel - Philadelphia

Speakers: Dr. Fasano, Shelley Case, RD, Pam Cureton, RD, Cynthia Kupper, RD, Dee Sandquist, RD, Suzanne Simpson, RD

• Update on previously unrecognized symptoms
• Associated disorders and complications
• Serological and genetic testing
• Gluten-free diet guidelines
• New food allergen and gluten-free labeling regulations
• Guidelines for combing type 1diabetes with the gf diet
• Counseling tips and practical resources for RD’s and their clients

Cost: $15 for MNPG members; $45 for Non-MNPG members and $75 for Non-ADA members

CPEU- 4 hours  Leaning Code: 5000

Sponsored by the Medical Nutrition DPG, U of Maryland Center for Celiac Research, Glutino/Gluten-Free Pantry/Gluten-free.com

Registration information will be available on the FNCE website very soon

http://www.eatright.org/cps/rde/xchg/ada/hs.xsl/education_12466_ENU_HTML.htm

For more information contact:

Mary Kay Sharrett, RD, Chair of the Dietitians in Gluten Intolerance Group Sub-Unit of MNPG
Phone: 614-722-3093
Email: sharretm@chi.osu.edu

New Horizons for Whole Grains & the Gluten-Free Diet

Monday October 1 from 5:00-6:30 pm at the Marriott Hotel

Speakers: Shelley Case, RD and Carol Fenster, PhD

Overview of celiac disease & the gluten-free diet

• A review of how whole grains meet the nutritional needs of individuals with celiac disease
• Demonstration of and practical tips for incorporating alternative whole grains into the GF diet

This free session is sponsored by the Medical Nutrition Practice Group and Bob’s Red Mill

For more information contact:

Mary Kay Sharrett, RD, Chair of the Dietitians in Gluten Intolerance Group Sub-Unit of MNPG
Phone: 614-722-3093
Email: sharretm@chi.osu.edu

The American Celiac Disease Alliance (ACDA) is launching a survey focused on several questions posed by the FDA. The survey was developed by dietitians with expertise in the gluten-free diet and who are associated with the Dietitians in Gluten Intolerance Diseases (DIGID), a specialty subunit of the American Dietetic Association.

Please take a few moments to complete this very important survey. The results will be compiled and presented to the FDA by the ACDA.

To access the survey go to the ACDA website www.americanceliac.org/news.htm
Or click here to take the survey: http://www.surveymonkey.com/s.asp?u=85433223016

Your comments will help the FDA decide what type of GF labeling will be allowed in the United States. The survey closes on March 15, 2007.

In very brief summary, the FDA is proposing to set a standard of 20 part per million as the acceptable level of gluten allowed for a product to be labeled as 'gluten-free.'

SUMMARY: The Food and Drug Administration (FDA) is proposing to define the term "gluten-free" for voluntary use in the labeling of foods, to mean that the food does not contain any of the following: An ingredient that is any species of the grains wheat,  rye, barley, or a crossbred hybrid of these grains (all noted grains are collectively referred to as "prohibited grains");an ingredient that is derived from a prohibited grain and that has not been processed to remove gluten (e.g., wheat flour); an ingredient that is derived from a prohibited grain and that has been processed to remove gluten (e .g., wheat starch), if the use of that ingredient results in the presence of 20 parts per million (ppm) or more gluten in the food; or 2O ppm or more gluten. A food that bears the claim "gluten-free" or similar claim in its labeling and fails to meet the conditions specified in the proposed definition of "gluten-free" would be deemed misbranded. FDA also is proposing to deem misbranded a food bearing a gluten-free claim in its labeling if the food is inherently free of gluten and if the claim does not refer to all foods of that same type (e.g., "milk, a glutenfree food" or "all milk is gluten-free") . In addition, a food made from oats that bears a gluten-free claim in its labeling would be deemed misbranded if the claim suggests that all such foods are gluten-free or if 20 ppm or more gluten is present in the food.

That sense of discovery, plus rigorous discipline, a little serendipity, and a large dose of luck, is what Fasano—a pediatric gastroenterologist and professor of pediatrics, medicine, and physiology at the School of Medicine—credits with guiding him to some remarkable discoveries and accomplishments.

Fasano moved to Baltimore from Naples, Italy, in 1993 with a scholarship to the School of Medicine’s Center for Vaccine Development. In 2000, Fasano and his colleagues discovered zonulin, a protein that regulates the permeability of the intestine.

In 2004, Fasano and Blake Paterson, MD, founded Alba Therapeutics Corporation, now headquartered at the UMB BioPark, to transfer the zonulin technology from the lab’s bench top to the patient’s bedside. Fasano resigned as interim chief scientific officer to return to academics full-time. He is now chair of the company’s scientific advisory board.

Technology developments from Fasano’s laboratory have resulted in more than 150 patents now held by Alba Therapeutics. The company, named the Maryland Incubator Company of the Year in 2006, has completed clinical and human trials of AT-1001, its lead compound. AT-1001 is targeted toward the treatment of celiac disease and other autoimmune illnesses.

Although serious conditions ranging from diabetes, anemia, short stature, infertility, Down syndrome and diarrhea can all be associated with celiac disease, few people in the U.S. have heard of it. A new, multi-center study led by the University of Maryland Center for Celiac Research in Baltimore finds that celiac disease is much more common in this country than previously thought.

For the study, published in the February 10, 2003 edition of Archives of Internal Medicine, researchers screened more than 13,000 people in 32 states.

“We now believe that more than 1.5 million Americans suffer from celiac disease, making it twice as common as Crohn's disease, ulcerative colitis and cystic fibrosis combined,” says Alessio Fasano, M.D., the study’s principal investigator and professor of pediatrics, medicine and physiology at the University of Maryland School of Medicine.

Celiac disease is a digestive disorder that is triggered by the protein gluten, which is found in wheat, barley and other grains. People who have the disease should not eat foods that contain gluten. Those foods can set off an autoimmune reaction in the intestines that cause a variety of gastrointestinal symptoms and prevent the proper absorption of food and nutrients, leading to serious health consequences.

“Symptoms of celiac disease vary among individuals,” says Dr. Fasano. “It can be a difficult disease to diagnose because symptoms can include anemia, osteoporosis, diarrhea, and constipation. Alternatively, there may not even be any symptoms.” Dr. Fasano’s preliminary studies found celiac disease in about 1 out of every 150 people. “This new study demonstrates that celiac disease is just as common in the U. S. as in Europe, which makes sense since there is a genetic link to the disease and many Americans are descended from Europeans,” says Dr. Fasano, who also heads the division of pediatric gastroenterology at the University of Maryland Hospital for Children.

He adds, “We hope this study will change the perspective of the health care community and that physicians will be more likely to test their patients for celiac disease.”

The new study, which is the largest multi-center, epidemiological study ever on the prevalence of celiac disease in the U.S., took place over five years and included blood samples from 13,145 people, including adults and children. The purpose of the study was to look at the disease’s prevalence in both “at-risk” and “not at-risk” populations.

Nearly 9,000 people were considered “at-risk” because they either had relatives with celiac disease, symptoms such as diarrhea or abdominal pain, or other disorders associated with celiac disease, including diabetes, Down syndrome or anemia. More than 4,000 study participants were considered “not at-risk.”

The study found that among “at-risk” participants, celiac disease was present in one out of 22 people who had first-degree relatives with the disorder.

It was also present in one out of every 68 adults with CD-associated symptoms and one out of every 25 children with symptoms. Among those study participants who were considered “not at-risk,” celiac disease was found in one out of every 133 people.

There is no cure for celiac disease and there are no medications to treat it. People with celiac disease can lead normal, healthy lives by following a gluten-free diet. This means avoiding all products derived from wheat, rye, barley, oats, and a few other lesser-known grains.

“Gluten is poison to celiac patients. Avoiding gluten requires major lifestyle changes, and it impacts entire families,” says Dr. Fasano. Celiac disease is an autoimmune disease, just like diabetes and rheumatoid arthritis. “There are two elements that play together for someone to develop an autoimmune disease. You must have a genetic predisposition and there must be some environmental factor to trigger the disease,” explains Dr. Fasano. “Celiac disease is the only autoimmune disease where that trigger is known. That trigger is gluten.”

Dr. Fasano adds, “This study is also very important to the scientific community because researchers will now be able to use this data on celiac disease to help uncover what causes other autoimmune diseases.”

Study Findings Published in Proceedings of National Academy of Sciences

Scientists at the University of Maryland School of Medicine in Baltimore have identified a way to prevent Type I diabetes in rats that are genetically prone to develop the disease. The discovery could one day lead to the prevention, and possibly to the treatment, of autoimmune diseases such as Type 1 diabetes, which affects more than one million people in the United States. The findings are published in the February 22, 2005 edition of the Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences.

In the study led by Alessio Fasano, M.D., professor of pediatrics, medicine and physiology and director of the University of Maryland Mucosal Biology Research Center, researchers used an animal model of diabetes and found a way to prevent the disease by changing the permeability of the intestinal wall.

Earlier research by Dr. Fasano and colleagues led to the discovery of the human protein zonulin. They observed that zonulin regulates the permeability of the intestines by controlling the opening and closing of specialized structures that act like gates between cells. When the body produces too much zonulin, these gates get stuck open for too long and allow undigested foodstuff, toxins and other bacterial and viral particles access to the immune system. That contact, in turn, leads to the production of antibodies that can destroy the insulin-producing islet cells in the pancreas among people genetically predisposed to develop Type 1 diabetes. The final result is the appearance of Type 1, or insulin-dependent, diabetes.

Dr. Fasano’s group also discovered that zonulin is produced in very large amounts in people who have autoimmune disorders such as diabetes, celiac disease, multiple sclerosis and rheumatoid arthritis. The researchers performed their latest study on rats that were genetically prone to develop Type 1 diabetes.

“With autoimmune diseases, the body mistakes its own tissues as foreign, resulting in an attack and destruction by the body’s own immune system. These diseases are all characterized by an extremely permeable intestinal wall,” says Dr. Fasano. “We already knew that there was a distinct connection between an increase in zonulin levels and an increased permeability of the intestines. With this study, we’ve been able to identify a way to prevent zonulin from causing leakage from the intestines as it does in people with these autoimmune diseases.”

With funding from the National Institutes of Health, Dr. Fasano and his research team used diabetes-prone rats to test the effectiveness of a zonulin inhibitor peptide called AT-1001, which is known to prevent zonulin from regulating intestinal permeability. The peptide prevented the development of diabetes in the vast majority of the animals tested. Only 27 percent of those that were given water containing AT-1001 developed diabetes. “In essence, we saw that this peptide stopped the sequence of events that leads to diabetes,” Dr. Fasano says.

Dr. Fasano adds that this significant discovery could eventually lead to the development of an oral medication to arrest autoimmune diseases in the early stages. Immediate plans call for clinical trials to test the use of AT-1001 in patients with celiac disease. Alba Therapeutics, a Baltimore-based biopharmaceutical company, has already sought approval from the FDA to conduct those trials.