Faculty
| STEVEN A. MOORE, M.D., Ph.D. Professor Neuropathology 200 Hawkins Drive - 5239B Roy Carver Pavalion Iowa City, IA 52242-1009 Ph.D. Indiana University, 1980 M.D. Indiana University, 1982 Pathology Residency, The University of Iowa, 1982-84 Neuropathology Fellowship, The University of Iowa, 1984-86 |
Muscular DystrophyMuscular dystrophies are a diverse group of inherited disorders characterized by progressive muscle weakness and wasting. Dr. Moore is involved in the evaluation of patient biopsies and in research partially funded through a center grant from NIH. This Paul D. Wellstone Muscular Dystrophy Cooperative Research Center is exploring therapeutic strategies for the treatment of various muscular dystrophies by enabling translational research on muscular dystrophies and providing advanced diagnostic services. The MDCRC is composed of three research projects, three cores and investigators with a proven track record of excellence and collaboration. The Center researchers’ studies and facilities will explore basic biological mechanisms that relate to possible treatments for muscular dystrophies, facilitate translational research on muscular dystrophies and provide advanced diagnostic services to patients and clinical trial participants. The Director and Co-director, Kevin Campbell and Steven Moore, are investigators with established records in basic, translational, and clinical research on muscular dystrophy.
Additional basic science collaboration with Dr. Kevin Campbell, Department of Physiology and Biophysics (The Laboratory of Dr. Kevin P. Campbell) involves the pathologic characterization of genetic mouse models of muscular dystrophy. Our most recent basic science collaborations use Cre-lox methodology to selectively knock out brain or peripheral nerve dystroglycan. These mice model congenital muscular dystrophy.
In addition to the Wellstone MDCRC mentioned above, clinical diagnostic work in the general area of muscular dystophies has expanded into basic and clinical research projects in collaboration with Drs. Jerry Mendell (Nationwide Children's Hospital), Kevin Campbell, and Kathy Mathews (Department of Pediatrics, The University of Iowa). Current clinical studies involve: (1) a multicenter study of limb-girdle muscular dystrophy (LGMD) aimed at characterizing genotype/phenotype relationships in this diverse array of muscular dystrophies, (2) a natural history student of patients with dystroglycanopathy, (3) a diagnostic test study of dysferlinopathy patients, and (4) a project to characterize clinical features of patients with large 4q35 deletions.
Clinical Interests
Dr. Moore has primary responsibility for the evaluation of skeletal muscle and peripheral nerve biopsies. Complete evaluation by histochemistry, enzyme histochemistry, immunofluorescence, teased fiber and electron microscopic techniques are utilized. Of particular interest is the use of an extensive panel of antibodies for the diagnosis of muscular dystrophies related to abnormalities of dystrophin, dystroglycans, sarcoglycans, alpha2-laminin (merosin), dysferlin caveolin-3 or emerin. Genetic testing for facioscapulohumeral dystrophy (FSHD), limb-girdle muscular dystrophy (LGMD) and congenital muscular dystrophy (CMD), is also available. Information concerning the processing and mailing of muscle biopsies, skin biopsies, or blood samples is available. Please refer to: (Muscular Dystrophy Testing at The University of Iowa)
