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LEADING
DIABETES RESEARCHERS, CLINICIANS COME TOGETHER AT OU-COM
CONFERENCE
ATHENS,
Ohio -- Diabetes is described as a "silent killer" by the
American Diabetes Association. It is the seventh leading
cause of death in the country. Diabetes is also a leading
cause of blindness, kidney disease, nerve disease, heart
disease and stroke. Approximately 5.9 percent of the
American population, or 15.7 million people, have diabetes,
but of those, more than one-third are unaware that they have
the disease. This year alone almost 800,000 Americans will
make that potentially life-saving discovery.
Unfortunately,
diabetes is a chronic disease that at present has no cure.
Even more disturbing is that recent surveys of Appalachian
Ohio suggest that the prevalence of diabetes may be as high
as two and a half to three times the national rate.
On
Tuesday, Oct. 5, and Wednesday, Oct. 6, the Ohio University
College
of Osteopathic Medicine
(OU-COM) holds the two-day conference, "Medical Scientific
Horizons in Diabetes" to highlight research progress and
advances in the treatment and management of diabetes. The
first of its kind in Southeastern Ohio, the conference will
combine professional presentations for health-care
specialists and community-oriented presentations aimed at
the diabetes patient population. The event is the first in
the Medical Scientific Horizon series, which is sponsored by
OU-COM's Department of Biomedical Sciences.
"The
medical and scientific communities are on the verge of
wondrous new approaches to the prevention and treatment of
disease. What research science is today is the physician's
tool tomorrow. 'Medical Scientific Horizons' is a glimpse of
the promise that tomorrow holds," said Ron Portanova, Ph.D.,
chairman of OU-COM's Department of Biomedical
Sciences.
"'Medical
Scientific Horizons in Diabetes' will highlight the synergy
of the collaboration between clinical practice and
biomedical research at the college, but it also will have a
very practical component designed to immediately benefit
health-care professionals and their patients," said
Portanova.
Four
nationally known diabetes experts, John Kopchick, Ph.D.,
professor of microbiology in OU-COM's Department of
Biomedical Sciences; Stanley Schwartz, M.D., associate
professor of medicine at the University of Pennsylvania; Al
Pheley, Ph.D., OU-COM's director of clinical research
development and director of the Center for Appalachian and
Rural Health Research; and Frank Schwartz, M.D.,
endocrinologist and clinical associate professor of medicine
at West Virginia University, will speak at the conference.
One focus of the conference will be the management of
diabetes in rural and Appalachian communities.
- Tuesday,
Oct. 5
- The
conference will begin at 7:15 p.m. at the Ramada Inn in
Nelsonville. OU-COM Dean Barbara Ross-Lee, D.O., will
open the proceedings. Two presentations are scheduled for
the evening: "Pharmacologic Options in Managing Diabetes"
by Frank Schwartz and "Preventing Complications from
Diabetes: Research Update" by Kopchick.
- Wednesday,
Oct. 6
- Two
community education events will be held. The first, from
10 a.m. to 1 p.m., in conjunction with Seniors Day in
Athens, will be the Senior Citizen Health Fair with
Diabetes Screening and Education at Athens City
Recreation Center. Kopchick will talk with community
seniors about causes of Type II Diabetes and ways to
manage it. This session will emphasize the importance of
diet and exercise in concert with home monitoring of
blood glucose. On-site blood glucose testing will be
available.
From 7 p.m. to 8:30 p.m. at O'Bleness Memorial Hospital,
Room B-7, a panel of health professionals, including Ed
Robles, D.O., family medicine resident; Laura Ballinger,
R.N., patient educator; Barbara Nakanishi, dietitian and
certified diabetes educator; Kopchick; as well as Janice
Bailey, a diabetes patient, will lead a session on "What
You Should Know About Diabetes." The session will consist
of short presentations on diabetes and how to
successfully manage it through teamwork.
From noon to 2:45 p.m., professional presentations will
be made. Portanova will chair the program, which will
take place at Irvine Hall 194 on OU's Athens campus. Four
sessions, addressing subjects such as current treatment
options and the prevention of secondary complications,
will be held: "Medical Scientific Horizons: A View from
OU-COM," by Jack Brose, D.O., assistant dean for clinical
research at OU-COM; "Diabetes Management: Pharmacologic
Management in 1999," by Stanley Schwartz; "Diabetes in
America" by Pheley; and "Prevention of Complications from
Diabetes: From Mouse to Men," by Kopchick.
A dinner
precedes the opening of the conference on Oct. 5. To
register for the dinner program or for more information on
the conference, please call OU-COM's Area Health Education
Center at (740) 593-2292.
The
Department of Biomedical Sciences' missions include teaching
in the College of Osteopathic Medicine's predoctoral and
postdoctoral programs; basic research, applied biomedical
research and research in medical education; and service to
the college, university, Southeastern Ohio, the osteopathic
medical profession and the greater scientific
community.
Biomedical
sciences has more than 30 faculty members, who have
expertise in many areas of the biomedical sciences and
includes a number of world-class researchers. In addition to
diabetes, areas of research focus include: cancer,
infectious disease, heart disease, muscle biology, a
multidisciplinary effort in tropical diseases, molecular
biology, biotechnology and transgenic cell and animal
biology. The department was formed in 1998.
Learn more
about diabetes by reading the fact
sheet.
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