Professor of Ternopil National Medical University Oksana Boyarchuk received a scholarship under the Fulbright Program to conduct scientific research in American institutions in the 2024-2025 academic year. This is one of the most famous and prestigious international programs for exchanging scholars and students funded by the United States government.
Oksana Boyarchuk’s research ”Improving Care for Patients with Inborn Errors Of Immunity” is on the Children’s Research Institute, University of South Florida, St Petersburg, FL basis. Her project aims to improve diagnosis and assist patients with inborn errors of immunity.
The relevance of the work lies in the fact that early detection of primary immunodeficiencies is crucial for the prevention and treatment of complications; however, late and inadequate diagnosis of congenital immunodeficiencies remains a serious problem in Ukraine. Despite the implementation of an expanded neonatal screening program that includes screening for severe combined immunodeficiency (SCID), many challenges remain unsolved, from determining the optimal route for newborns with SCID to avoid infections to providing recommendations for children with low levels of T- and B-lymphocytes, in which SCID has not established.
Another aspect of Oksana Boyarchuk’s project is to improve the diagnosis and treatment of autoimmune manifestations of inborn errors of immunity.
The specific goals of Professor Boyarchuk’s research project are to study the key stages of diagnosis of inborn errors of immunity in the United States, starting from primary care physicians to specialized departments; study the path of newborns with a positive result of SCID; identification of potential risk groups of inborn errors of immunity among patients with systemic and organ-specific autoimmune diseases; study of advanced practices of helping children with primary immunodeficiencies, including those with autoimmune manifestations; development of diagnostic algorithms and care strategies for patients with inborn errors of immunity and autoimmune diseases.
The results of this study will significantly contribute to the diagnosis, treatment, and understanding of autoimmune diseases in children with congenital immune disorders and to the development of personalized treatment strategies and early intervention approaches for better clinical outcomes. The final result of the study is an improvement in the life quality of children with congenital immune defects. The experience gained during research and communication with American scientists and doctors will bring new ideas. It will encourage new initiatives and the development of new strategies in the field of pediatric immunology.