Center for Injury Sciences (CIS) at UAB
Director: Loring W. Rue,
Established: 1999
The
mission of the Center for Injury Sciences (CIS) is to provide a
multidisciplinary focus for the care of injured patients and for research
related to both the prevention and treatment of injuries. In addition, the Center plays a leadership
role in the development of a statewide trauma system - an integrated program of
clinical care, clinical and basic scientific research, prevention, and
community outreach. The Center currently
has 12 appointed faculty representing 6 departments and 3 schools at UAB.
Center Research
The CIS conducts a number of epidemiological studies
related to trauma system research and development. Current efforts include expanding trauma
system capabilities to monitor for bioterrorism risks and to provide for
optimal response in the event of a large-scale mass casualty incident. However, much of the Center’s emphasis is on motor
vehicle collisions, the largest component of all injury events in
The Center also conducts research in
collaboration with the U.S. Department of Transportation’s Federal Highway
Administration and Federal Transit Administration, the Alabama Department of
Transportation, the Alabama Department of Public Health, and a number of
commercial entities to introduce advanced technology into trauma system
operations. Specifically, advanced
automated crash notification (AACN) system technology is being evaluated as a
trauma system enhancement. This initiative
has also involved extensive collaboration between units in the Schools of
Medicine and Engineering and has produced research in occupant kinematics and
the biomechanics of injury.
The
Center’s basic science research unit has examined inflammatory response
following hemorrhage and resuscitation, oxidant species in hepatic ischemia-reperfusion,
induced remote lung and renal injury, gender differences in traumatic injury
response, and growth factor modulation of stromal
stem cells to improve osseous repair following a fracture. Other research conducted by the Center
includes clinical pharmaceutical trials, chart reviews, and population studies
to assess the incidence of injury and/or infection in trauma, burn, and
critically ill patients.
Training
Several programs exist that serve to
provide training in injury science. Individuals
in the Surgical Critical Care Fellowship (clinical), Residents in Research
(basic), and the Medical Student Summer Research Program (clinical) all
participate in training and provide direct service through trauma-related
injury prevention and outreach.
Furthermore,
the Center sponsors or co-sponsors continuing education conferences targeted
toward physicians, nurses, Emergency Medical Technicians (EMTs),
and paramedics. The goal of these
conferences is to augment knowledge of advanced trauma care.
Related centers
include the UAB
Burn Center.
For additional
information:
Director: Loring W. Rue,
Email: lrue@uab.edu
Phone:
205-975-3030
Administrator: Andrew
D. Kennedy, MBA
Email: dkennedy@uab.edu
Phone: 205-975-3030
Approved by: Loring W. Rue,
Date: April 3, 2008
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