Dr. Richard C. Boucher received the first-ever “Champion for a Cure” award from the Cystic Fibrosis Foundation of North Carolina Monday (Oct. 15).
Dr. Richard C. Boucher received the first-ever “Champion for a Cure” award from the Cystic Fibrosis Foundation of North Carolina Monday (Oct. 15).
Boucher is a William Rand Kenan distinguished professor in the UNC School of Medicine and director of the UNC Cystic Fibrosis Pulmonary Research and Treatment Center.
The foundation selected Boucher to be the inaugural winner of what is intended to be an annual award for his dedication to improving treatments for those with cystic fibrosis and his determination in finding a cure for the disease.
The award was presented during the foundation’s Rod Brind’Amour Evening Gala, named for the Carolina Hurricanes’ center who supports the foundation.
Boucher has long been recognized as one of the nation’s leading figures in cystic fibrosis research. In 2000, he was among the top 10 in federal funding among principal investigators doing basic research that year, according to the National Institutes of Health.
He has published more than 400 articles on cystic fibrosis and gene therapy. He helped develop a gene “knock-out” mouse model for studying cystic fibrosis experimentally, conducted both animal and human trials of gene therapy for cystic fibrosis lung disease and developed novel drugs that are in late-stage clinical testing in cystic fibrosis patients.
In addition, Boucher is among key UNC faculty whose research is an important component of the university’s genome sciences initiative.
Note: Boucher can be reached at (919) 966-1077 or rboucher@med.unc.edu.
Related Web site: http://www.cff.org/Chapters/carolinas/
Cystic Fibrosis Foundation contacts: Jane Rives or Jennifer Hodak, (800) 822-9941 or (919) 845-2155, or carolinas@cff.org
School of Medicine contact: Stephanie Crayton, (919) 966-2860 or scrayton@unch.unc.edu