Nova Southeastern University’s Institute for Neuro-Immune Medicine (INIM) focuses on the post-viral phase following acute infection, commonly known as “Long COVID.” Our research includes surveys to assess long-term health risks, biomarker analysis, and clinical observation to characterize patient phenotypes. Additionally, we are conducting trials of carefully selected therapeutic agents to alleviate Long COVID symptoms. Through these efforts, we aim to enhance treatment strategies for Long COVID and other neuro-inflammatory conditions.
Gulf War Illness is a constellation of chronic multisymptom illnesses born from the 1990 -1991 Persian Gulf War, operationally identified as Desert Shield/Desert Storm. During Operation Desert Shield/Storm, 700,000 U.S. Service Members deployed to the Persian Gulf to liberate Kuwait in response to Iraqi annexation. The toxicants that service members endured included anthrax/botulinum vaccinations, oil well fires, chemical/biological weapons, depleted uranium, noise, Chemical Agent Resistant Coating (CARC), pyridostigmine bromide (PB), pesticides, sand, dust, particulates, toxic embedded fragments, infectious diseases, heat injuries, and occupational hazards.
The Gulf War Illness Clinical Trials and Interventions Consortium (GWICTIC) is a collaborative research group promoting an innovative, efficient and evidence-based process to perform clinical trials in veterans with Gulf War Illness. Led by Dr. Nancy Klimas, the team combines extensive experience in neuro-immunology, clinical trials, and program management to advance understanding and treatment for veterans suffering from this complex illness.
The Computational Clinical Systems Biology Group consists of a group of enthusiastic individuals, David Quesada-Saliba PhD (Director and Computational Biology), Baian Khanjar MS (Data Analysts), Jonathan Herrera (Data Management and data security protocols) who are engaged in providing support for data management, data security protocols, statistical analyses, and mathematical clinical systems modeling aligned with projects of interest for INIM.
Current projects include:
Long term COVID, longitudinal and phenotyping platforms. The team is assisting to manipulate REDCap data management system, produce reports and do preliminary analyses.
In-Depth GWI phenotyping study along with Miami VA. Detailed statistical analysis aimed at finding patterns among clinical tests and physical functioning questionnaires. Such patterns will permit improving treatment efforts with GWI veterans.
BACOPA GWI project. Statistical analysis of the influence of dietary life styles of GWI veterans and evaluate the role of diets on the possibility of symptom’s control of these patients.
