NevBio Meeting: Dr.Gardner to Discuss New Medical Approach to Back Pain

Dr. Vance Gardner, board certified orthopedic surgeon and associate clinical professor of orthopedic surgery at the University of California, Irvine, School of Medicine, will speak at the June 21st meeting of the Nevada Biotechnology & Bioscience Consortium (NevBio) on his research to study the vascular status of the lumbar spine in patients with chronic low back pain. This research was commissioned by a grant from a Nevada-based biotechnology company, CardioVascular BioTherapeutics.

Dr. Gardner will discuss his on-going research in which 50 subjects with chronic low back pain undergo a very detailed angiography using a 3.0 Tesla research scanner to show dynamic perfusion of the vertebral bodies and disc diffusion. According to a number of research studies, spinal ischemia (lack of blood flow) is believed to be a contributor to lumbar disc disease. Gardner’s study is looking to determine whether decreased blood flow affects the vertebral bodies and the discs. Gardner believes that by using these techniques, a sub-population will emerge that derives its etiology more to ischemia and disc nutrition than to mechanical and genetic factors. If this population can be defined, then new treatments for lower back pain can be developed.

Dr. Jennifer Montague, Executive Director of the Nevada Biotechnology and Bioscience Consortium (NB2C) said “Dr. Vance Gardner grew up in Las Vegas, Nevada and through his ties to Nevada is now performing research for a Nevada-based biotechnology company, CardioVascualar BioTherapeutics, Inc. In addition to speaking at our meeting, Dr. Gardner plans on taking a tour of the facilities at the Nevada Cancer Institute. He believes that there might be projects that they could collaborate on in the future.” Dr. Montague continued, “Biotechnology is happening in Las Vegas and the more we can come together as a community of researchers and supporters, the more we can build up the biotechnology industry in Nevada.”
The Nevada Biotechnology and Bioscience Consortium’s meeting is June 21st (Third Thursday) at 12 PM noon at McCormick & Schmicks Seafood Restaurant at 355 Howard Hughes Parkway.