Girl on work experience makes major cystic fibrosis breakthrough: Medical student's discovery could

Girl on work experience makes major cystic fibrosis breakthrough: Medical student's discovery could prolong lives of sufferers and help diagnose the condition

Jo Armstead, 21, spent last summer at Wythenshawe Hospital, Manchester
Discovered half of adult sufferers are infected with a common fungus
The Newcastle University student first to accurately determine the link
Finding could prolong the lives of patients with the incurable condition

By James Tozer
Published: 16:31 EST, 25 June 2014 | Updated: 16:33 EST, 25 June 2014

A medical student spending her holidays doing work experience at a hospital made a major breakthrough in the treatment of cystic fibrosis.

Jo Armstead, 21, spent hundreds of hours examining medical data from 30 countries and discovered that half of adults who suffer from the rare genetic disorder are infected with a common fungus.

Experts said the finding could help prolong the lives of patients with the debilitating lung condition, as well as help diagnose it where it had not been detected at birth.

The research has now been published in prestigious scientific journal Plos One – but Miss Armstead is too busy revising for her exams to spend much time basking in the glory.

More:
http://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-2669886/Girl-work-experience-makes-major-cystic-fibrosis-breakthrough-Medical-students-discovery-prolong-lives-sufferers-help-diagnose-condition.html#ixzz35h6mldSL