About Us
The Alpha-1 Research Program was established at the University of Florida College of Medicine in Gainesville, Florida in 1998 by the Alpha-1 Foundation. The Program, under the direction of Mark L. Brantly, M.D., is devoted to the study of lung and liver disease associated with Alpha-1 Antitrypsin (AAT) Deficiency. Its resources and services are an important access point for the national and international medical and scientific communities and include:
- Alpha-1 Translational Research Laboratory — devoted to characterizing the molecular mechanisms responsible for the development of liver and lung disease in AAT Deficient individuals and to the development of new treatments.
- Clinical Research — Research in Alpha-1 Antitrypsin Deficiency is needed in order to better understand the disease, to understand what causes emphysema and/or liver disease in some people and not others with the condition, and to improve current treatments. Human subjects participating in research is crucial. The Alpha-1 Research Program has developed a team of scientists, nurses, and administrators to conduct a number of clinical trails and other research projects for individuals who have AAT Deficiency, their family members, and other eligible participants. The Alpha-1 Research Program may be involved in a number of clinical trials for investigational treatments for AAT Deficiency at any time.
- Alpha-1 Foundation DNA & Tissue Bank — serves the international scientific community with the largest single disease collection of DNA and tissue samples for research studies.
- UF Alpha-1 Antitrypsin Deficiency Specialty Clinic — provides consultation and care for patients that have been diagnosed with alpha-1 antitrypsin deficiency.