A Research Project in Northern Ireland needs volunteers

[LupusAdmin3]

Researchers at the Ulster University are searching for factors that contribute to the development of a debilitating autoimmune disease that predominantly affects women of childbearing age.

The effect of certain dietary components and lifestyle factors on Systemic Lupus Erythematosus, commonly known as Lupus or SLE, will be examined by the Biomedical Sciences Research Institute at the Universities Coleraine campus. The researchers will aim to see if exposure to mercury is related to disease activity and damage in SLE patients.

Research within the Northern Ireland Centre for food and health (NICHE) at the University is aimed at “identifying food components or dietary regimes likely to lead to benefits for human health”. And so researchers at the University want to determine how mercury exposure through the consumption of fish and presence of dental amalgams can impact on quality of life in SLE.

Examining the effect of mercury exposure in this case is PhD student William Crowe. Under the supervision of Dr Emeir McSorley, Dr Philip Allsopp, Dr Pamela Magee, and Professor Sean Strain at Ulster University, Coleraine, and Consultant Rheumatologists Dr Claire Riddell, Dr Elisabeth Ball at the Belfast Health and Social Care Trust and Dr David Armstrong at the Western Health and Social Care Trust (Altnagelvin Area Hospital and The South West Acute Hospital).

Mr. Crowe said: “We will be recruiting individuals with SLE from May of this year and are specifically looking to recruit those who are registered patients within the Western or Belfast Trusts.” It is anticipated that this exciting research will impact positively on the health of those living with Lupus not only in Northern Ireland but elsewhere.

For further information about this research project please contact Mr. William Crowe Tel: [phone] Email: [e-mail].

[Bronagh2015]

Brilliant! I have already been in touch with William.