Pediatric Cardiologist Ruey Chang Awarded NIH Challenge Grant

Ruey-Kang Chang, MD, MPH, an investigator at LA BioMed and an Associate Professor and Chief of the Division of Pediatric Cardiology, has been awarded an RC1 Challenge Grant from the National Institutes of Health.

The Challenge Grants were awarded on a one-time basis as part of the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act. Approximately 20,000 applications were received, and only 880 challenge grants awarded.

Dr. Chang research will seek early detection and treatment of a rare hereditary disease, called Jervell and Lange-Nielsen syndrome. The syndrome causes deafness and sudden death, due to a heart rhythm problem called "long QT". Up to 10% of cases of infant sudden death may be due to this disease.