National Jewish Health Names Recipient of The CSL Behring – National Jewish Health Fellowship in Immunology

National Jewish Health (NJH)announced that Jordan Abbott, M.D., is the recipient of the CSL Behring –National Jewish Health Fellowship in Immunology for 2011. 

Funded by an unrestricted grant from CSL Behring, the fellowship program provides$85,000 per year for three years to support the education and training of young physicians in the Department of Pediatrics at NJH who are embarking on a career in research and/or clinical care of people with immunodeficiency. Dr. Abbottwas selected as the result of his clinical experience, scientific knowledge,and interest in primary immunodeficiency (PI) and T-cell biology.

“For more than a century National Jewish Health has taken responsibility for the well-being of hundreds of patients with primary immunodeficiencies who had nowhere else to turn. We are grateful to CSL Behring for the commitment, partnership and fellowship support,” said Erwin W. Gelfand, M.D., Chairman,Department of Pediatrics, National Jewish Health. “Training of the future generation of physicians in the diagnosis and care of children and adults with primary immunodeficiencies ensures that these patients will continue to receivethe most advanced care available to maintain their health and quality of life.”

“National Jewish Health is one of the leading centers in the United States for research and training of young physicians in the field of immunology. This focus aligns with CSL Behring’s commitment to enhancing the quality of life for people with rareand serious disorders, such as PI,” said Garrett E. Bergman, M.D., SeniorDirector of Medical Affairs, North America Commercial Operations at CSLBehring. “We are pleased to partner with National Jewish Health to advance knowledge of the underlying basic science and clinical care of patients with immune disorders and would like to congratulate Dr. Abbott for receiving the fellowship.”

Dr. Abbott is board certified in pediatrics, receiving his residency training at Children’s Hospital Los Angeles and his M.D. from Weill Cornell Medical College.  Prior to medical school, Dr. Abbott earned a master's degree in biotechnology from Columbia University. 

As the recipient of the CSL Behring – National Jewish Health Fellowship in Immunology for 2011, Dr. Abbott will oversee the care of people with primary immunodeficiency in the clinic. He will direct the treatment for those managing their condition with intravenous immunoglobulin (IVIg) in the hospital’s infusion center or at-home with subcutaneous immunoglobulin (SCIg). Dr. Abbottwill also interface with National Jewish Health’s Advanced DiagnosticsLaboratory and the Center for Genes Environment and Health as the hospital proceeds to develop full genomic sequencing for mutations associated with primary immunodeficiency. In the laboratory Dr. Abbott will study lymphocyte function as it relates to the immune response.

About Primary Immunodeficiency
Primary immunodeficiency (PI) is a group of more than 150 diseases that affect the cells, tissues and proteins of the immune system. In people with PI, theimmune system is either absent or functioning inadequately, leaving them moresusceptible to infection. For individuals with PI – many of them children – infections may not improve with treatment as expected, and may keep returning. As a result, patients may face repeated rounds of antibiotics or be hospitalized for treatment. Repeated infections can lead to organ damage, which, over time, can become life-threatening. Collectively, PIs affect an estimated 10 million people worldwide, and the incidence is estimated to be 1in 10,000. For more information on PI, please visit www.treatingpi.com.

About CSL Behring

CSL Behringis a leader in the plasma protein therapeutics industry. Committed to savinglives and improving the quality of life for people with rare and serious diseases, the company manufactures and markets a range of plasma-derived andrecombinant therapies worldwide. CSL Behring therapies are indicated for thetreatment of coagulation disorders including hemophilia and von Willebranddisease, primary immune deficiencies, hereditary angioedema and inherited respiratory disease. The company’s products are also used in cardiac surgery,organ transplantation, burn treatment and to prevent hemolytic diseases innewborns. CSL Behring operates one of the world’s largest plasma collectionnetworks, CSL Plasma. CSL Behring is a subsidiary of CSLLimited (ASX: CSL), a biopharmaceutical company headquartered in Melbourne, Australia.For more information, visit www.cslbehring.com.