Dr. Donald Dengel, professor of kinesiology and director of the Laboratory of Integrative Human Physiology (LIHP), is a co-principal investigator on a $60,000 grant awarded from the National MPS Society. This two-year grant, “Manifestations of Cardiovascular Disease in Morquio A: Evaluation, Assessment, and Therapy”, will determine if carotid artery structure and function in human patients with Morquio A syndrome is abnormal compared to healthy patients (the control group). This study is being done in conjunction with Saint Louis University and Children’s Hospital of Orange County.

According to MedlinePlus, Morquio syndrome is, “an inherited disease of metabolism in which the body is missing or doesn’t have enough of a substance needed to break down long chains of sugar molecules called glycosaminoglycans (formerly called mucopolysaccharides).”