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Media Notice
August 14, 2002
Contact: Dianne Needham, Warren Grant Magnuson Clinical Center Communications Office, (301) 496-2563
- Bioterrorism
- The Genetics of Speech and Communication Disorders
- Coping with Anxiety and Depression in Uncertain Times
- Nutritional Therapies for Age-Related Eye Diseases
- The Teen Brain
- Endometriosis: Scrambled Eggs and Killer Cramps
The 2002 Medicine for the Public lecture series, now in its 26th year, features
physician-researchers working in the frontiers of medical discovery at the National Institutes
of Health. The series helps people understand the latest developments in medicine with
an emphasis on topics of current relevance presented by speakers who can relate stories
of science to the lay public. The above topics will be covered in the 2002 series.
Sponsored by the NIH Clinical Center, the lectures are held at 7 p.m. on Tuesdays in
the Clinical Center's Masur Auditorium, National Institutes of Health, 9000 Rockville
Pike, Building 10, in Bethesda, Maryland. All lectures are free and open to the public
September 17, 2002
Bioterrorism
Pierre Noel, M.D.
Chief, Hematology
Department of Laboratory Medicine
NIH Clinical Center
Every American citizen became sensitized to bioterrorism after the anthrax letter events of October 2001. In a world where politics and economic trends are dictated by the United States, biological weapons offer an asymmetric advantage to political or religious groups waging war with the United States and the American way of life. Dr. Noel will present the recent history of biological warfare programs, which offer a good perspective of what the future may hold. He will also discuss the biologic and physical characteristics that may render a biological agent a potential weapon. Anthrax, plague and smallpox are three of the most likely organisms to be used as biological weapons. Understanding the biology, mechanisms of toxicity, modes of spread and current preventive and therapeutic measures, lays the groundwork for future research in biodefense.
September 24, 2002
The Genetics of Speech and Communication Disorders
Dennis Drayna, Ph.D.
Senior Fellow, Section on Transcription Factors,
Sensory Receptors and Channels,
Laboratory of Molecular Biology
National Institute
on Deafness and Other Communication Disorders
Communication is a crucial part of everyone's life. But when someone has problems speaking or understanding, their very existence is affected. Millions of Americans suffer from communication disorders. In fact, stuttering affects about 1 percent of the U. S. population. Dr. Drayna will explain how genes affect the ability to communicate. Specifically, he will discuss his work with stuttering and disorders of pitch recognition-also known as "tone deafness."
October 1, 2002
Coping with Anxiety and Depression in Uncertain Times
Dennis S. Charney, M.D.
Chief, Mood and Anxiety Disorder Experimental
Therapeutics and Pathophysiology Branch
National Institute of Mental Health
The experience of psychological trauma is not an uncommon occurrence in today's society. Recent research indicates that severe psychological trauma can cause symptoms persistent of anxiety and depression. Dr. Charney will discuss these symptoms and how they affect brain function and alter body systems, and explore current treatments available.
October 8, 2002
Nutritional Therapies for Age-Related Eye Diseases
Emily Chew, M.D.
Deputy Director, Division of Epidemiology and
Clinical Research
National Eye Institute
Between 2000 and 2002, the number of people 65 years or older in the United States will increase from 35 million to 53 million, a 53 percent increase. This is the fastest growing segment of the United States. The public health significance of age-related eye diseases such as age-related macular degeneration and cataracts will increase. Dr. Chew will explain age-related eye diseases, their incidence and the results of recent studies regarding nutritional supplements for these conditions. The public health impact of such treatment will also be assessed.
October 15, 2002
The Teen Brain
Jay Giedd, M.D.
Chief, Brain Imaging
Child Psychiatry Branch
National Institute of Mental Health
Any parent of a teenager can attest to the fact that the brain of a 13-year-old is different than the brain of a 9-year-old. Yet to actually pin down those differences in a scientific way has been elusive. Magnetic resonance imaging has changed that. It safely provides exquisitely accurate pictures of the living, growing brain and has launched a new era of adolescent neuroscience. Dr. Giedd will explore recent findings from brain imaging and the implications these findings have for parents, teachers, society, and the teens themselves.
October 29, 2002
Endometriosis: Scrambled Eggs and Killer Cramps
Pamela Stratton, M.D.
Chief, Gynecology Consult Service
Pediatric and
Reproductive Endocrinology Branch
National Institute of Child Health and
Human Development
Endometriosis is one of the most common gynecologic diseases in which tissue resembling the lining of the uterus grows outside of the uterus, usually on the pelvic organs. Some women find out they have endometriosis when they have trouble becoming pregnant. Others with endometriosis have pelvic pain with their menstrual periods or with sex. The pain may be so severe that it impacts on their quality of life, affecting their intimate relationships and day-to-day activities. Some women don't have any symptoms from endometriosis. The treatments for endometriosis are tailored to the woman's symptoms. Women with infertility may benefit from surgery or other assisted reproductive techniques. Those with pain may benefit from surgery or hormonal treatments, in addition to taking medications for pain relief. Medical research on endometriosis continues to look into improving drug therapies and surgical treatments, but because of the complexity of the disease, there may be a long way to go before finding a cure. Dr. Stratton explains a study investigating whether raloxifene will prevent the return of pain after surgical treatment of endometriosis. What sets this research apart is the study of a designer estrogen, which blocks the body's estrogen in the uterus and therefore may prevent the regrowth of endometriosis and investigating many aspects of the disease, such as quality of life.
For further information on specific topics or speakers, call 301-496-2563, or visit the Medicine for the Public website at: http://www.cc.nih.gov/ccc/mfp/series.html.
The Warren Grant Magnuson Clinical Center is the research hospital of the National Institutes of Health. Through clinical research, physicians and scientists translate laboratory discoveries into better treatments, therapies and interventions to improve the nation's health. NIH is an agency of the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services.