Message from Prof. Kaplan
The Konishi-MUSC Institute for Inflammation Research was established in May 1999 and represents a joint effort to advance our knowledge of inflammatory mechanisms underlying human disease with a focus on the role of the plasma kinin-forming cascade. Of particular interest is the drug Neurotropin^®, which is a unique biologic product that inhibits the formation of bradykinin, an inflammatory peptide of importance in a wide spectrum of human disease. Neurotropin^® is being employed in in-vitro and in-vivo protocols that assess its functions as an analgesic and anti-inflammatory compound. The disorders being investigated as part of the Institute's mission include chronic urticaria (hives), angioedema (swelling), including hereditary and acquired forms, asthma, Alzheimer's Disease, and shock states such as allergic anaphylaxis and sepsis due to bacterial infection.