Michelle Kvalsund, a clinical instructor and clinical neurophysiology fellow at Michigan State University, has been named a Fulbright Scholar, receiving the Fulbright Africa Regional Research Program award.
This is Kvalsund’s second term as an MSU Fulbright awardee, having previously received a U.S. Student Fulbright award as a graduate student in the Department of Epidemiology in 2003-2004.
Next year, Kvalsund will spend nine months in Zambia where she will use the funding to conduct research on nutrient deficiencies associated with neurological symptoms, such as peripheral neuropathy, in both HIV-positive and HIV-negative patients. Peripheral neuropathy is a condition that causes damage to nerves and causes weakness, numbness and pain usually in hands and feet.
Zambia is located in the sub-Saharan Africa region, which has high rates of malnutrition and HIV.
“Unfortunately, very little is known about the occurrence of specific micronutrient deficiencies, such as vitamin B12, as a cause of neurological disorders in this region,” Kvalsund said. “However, these disorders are highly responsive to treatment if given early, but have devastating consequences if left untreated.”
Kvalsund added that because neurological symptoms in HIV and micronutrient deficiencies frequently overlap, the diagnosis in this population can be challenging, particularly when another potential cause such as HIV may be diagnosed at the same time.
“We hope to further characterize the associated neurological disorders of these deficiencies in the near future,” she said.
Kvalsund holds an adjunct appointment at the University of Zambia as an honorary lecturer and consultant neurologist. The research will be conducted with professor Paul Kelly and physician Violet Kayamba from the Tropical Gastroenterology and Nutrition Group at the university.
Her work has the potential of changing how HIV patients are treated.
“If micronutrient deficiencies are common causes of peripheral neuropathies or other neurological disorders in this setting, HIV care policies may need to be modified,” she said.
The highly coveted Fulbright grants are issued by the Bureau of Educational and Cultural Affairs of the U.S. Department of State, to foster international academic exchange. It is the flagship international educational exchange program sponsored by the U.S. government and is designed to increase mutual understanding between the people of the United States and the people of other countries.