S
OLLI at Duke - Frontiers in Medicine - Fall 2020
This website will be revised as we progress through the summer and fall of 2020. As new developments and controversies come to light, the course content and the information on this website may be modified, so it is important to consult this website often. After presentations, many presenters permit us to post their slide sets on the SLIDES page.
Course description & rationale
New research results pertaining to health and well-being are constantly being presented in the mass media. However, new reports often seem to be contradictory to what was previously believed, leading to confusion about the best personal choices and societal recommendations. This course will provide a forum for discussion of the latest findings and controversies in the areas of interest to many. Invited experts will make presentations, followed by questions and comments from the participants. Classes are online via Zoom. You must register for the course with OLLI at Duke in order to attend lectures. Visit learnmore (dot) duke (dot) edu (slash) olli for information.
Course coordinators
Edwin Cox, MD, was in the practice of oncology (cancer chemotherapy) and hematology (blood diseases) for eleven years at Duke University Medical Center and nineteen years in private practice in Durham. He was director of Database for Duke Comprehensive Cancer Center, involved in the planning, conduct, and analysis of clinical trials. He now brings this training and experience to bear on contemporary health issues, especially those related to lifestyle, such as diet and physical activity. He teaches a full OLLI course entitled "What to Eat - And Why."
Kathleen Beach, MD, is a newly retired physician/epidemiologist. Educated in biochemical engineering and internal medicine, she worked at the FDA, then at biotech and pharmaceutical companies in Boston and RTP, where she led numerous drug programs from preliminary trials through approval for human use. Her interests lie in generating evidence to elucidate the efficacy and safety of medical interventions.
Class schedule: The course will generally meet online via Zoom, 11:00 am to 12:30 pm on Mondays, September 14 through November 23. NOTE: We will not meet on September 28.
Class format: Presenters will focus on recent research findings and controversies in their topics. The sessions may include: (1) formal presentations; (2) informal discussions; (3) question-answer discussions based on suggested readings or videos.
How to use this website. To view the supplementary information for a specific week, click on the links that are indicated by the blue typeface or navigate at the top of this page to the SLIDES.
Sept 14. Toward improving pregnancy outcomes by study of human placental development using in vitro models. Bala Rao, PhD.
Abnormalities in embryo implantation in the uterine lining and subsequent evolution of the placenta are associated with many complications of pregnancy, including infertility, pregnancy loss, fetal growth retardation and pre-eclampsia. Research could potentially identify interventions to help improve pregnancy outcomes. Animal models do not accurately mimic human physiology. Ethical and legal constraints limit research on human embryos. Dr. Rao will describe how his lab employs stem cells to generate relevant in vitro models to study early placental development. SLIDES
Sept 21. Gut microbiome engineering. Nathan Crook, PhD.
Our large intestine hosts a dense microbial community that plays a prominent role in human health and disease as documented in numerous studies. Now microbiota engineering has ushered in a quantitative approach to understanding long-term evolutionary fate of probiotic bacteria. From a background in chemical engineering, Dr. Crook has developed an engineering toolkit that produces strains of organisms targeting specific metabolic substrates and products. Results to date and future directions will be discussed.
Sept 28. No presentation.
Oct 5. SlowCOVIDNC: Smartphone app to corral the coronavirus. Edwin Cox, MD.
A new smartphone app is available that is designed to slow the spread of coronavirus in North Carolina. Appropriately, it is called "SlowCOVIDNC", and is available both for the iPhone in the App Store and Android in Google Play. If it gets widely installed on North Carolinians' phones and is used as directed, it could play a major role in protecting us. Dr. Cox will tell about its origin, how it works, and why we can trust it to maintain our confidentiality, while informing us if we have been exposed to an infected individual. You are encouraged to go ahead and install it, and get your questions about it answered in the lecture. SLIDES
Oct 12. Capturing the complex epigenetics of neurodevelopmental disorders in human brain organoids. Albert Keung, PhD.
The Keung Lab is focused on epigenetics. This term refers to the process whereby specialized molecules bind firmly to DNA to regulate gene expression and thus exert major influence over how an organism's genetic endowment is fulfilled. Dr. Keung will discuss how epigenetic phenomena are being investigated in connection with a neurodevelopmental disorder, Angelman syndrome, and in the neural pathways important in addiction, utilizing microtissues derived from human cells that mimic early human brain development.
Oct 19. Physical activity and public health. Bernard (Bob) Gutin, PhD.
In recent years many scientific findings have shown how different types of exercise influence biological and psychological well-being, This presentation will discuss implications for personal behavior and societal guidelines. Dr. Gutin brings a wealth of experience to bear on this topic from his research on these topics at Columbia University and the Medical College of Georgia.
Oct 26. Let's talk about a COVID vaccine. Kathleen Beach, MD.Developing a novel vaccine is a lengthy process. Even after it is created and tested for safety, licensing and manufacturing the vaccine require years of work to make it available to the general public. The FDA process can take more than ten years to complete the several phases of clinical trials. But the programs targeting SARS-CoV-2 are moving at unprecedented speed. We all ask: Will they be safe? Will they be effective? Who will get them and when? Dr. Beach will draw on her career in pharma to review the status of the coronavirus vaccines under development, using information from the media, the federal government, and medical organizations. SLIDES
Nov 2. The conquest of HIV: Prevention and long-term control with drug therapy. Mehri McKellar, MD.
Acquired immunodeficiency syndrome (AIDS) burst on the scene in the 1980s as a new human scourge, found to be due to the novel human immunodeficiency virus (HIV). In a monumental human achievement, the disease has been brought under control with medication, so that the majority of infected persons can expect to live a normal life. Dr. McKellar, who cares for over 300 individuals living with HIV, will discuss the evolution of HIV care, including rapid on-site testing and prevention of its spread through pre-exposure prophylaxis (PrEP).
Nov 9.Sleep: Why we need it, and how to improve yours. Rod Radtke, MD.
Sleep interests everyone: we all must sleep, and many of us have sleep issues. Dr. Radtke, the Medical Director of the DUMC Sleep Lab, will begin with normal sleep, its relation to aging and the limited understanding of sleep biology. Topics to be covered include insomnia and its treatment with cognitive behavioral therapy; obstructive sleep apnea and the newly-available hypoglossal nerve stimulator; and REM behavior disorder, restless legs syndrome and other causes of things that go bump in the night.
Nov 16. Lifelong health risks of sugar consumption during childhood development. Michael Goran, PhD.
Fructose - "fruit sugar" - was for a time considered more desirable nutritionally than glucose, because blood glucose doesn't rise following its consumption. Fructose comes from honey, fruits, sucrose (table sugar), and high-fructose corn syrup, and is profuse in sugar-sweetened beverages. Increasing evidence links excessive fructose consumption with altered metabolism and early obesity in animal models and limited human studies, leading to type 2 diabetes, heart disease and non-alcoholic fatty liver disease. Dr. Goran will discuss his research suggesting that early exposure to high levels of fructose during development induces lifelong changes favoring obesity and metabolic risk and compromising cognitive health.
Nov 23. The taming of hepatitis C: how to cure a chronic viral infection. Mary Graves, PhD.
The story of hepatitis C, from virus discovery in 1989 to high cure rates, set the record for a chronic infection. HCV is a classic example of the evolving virus-host battle from asymptomatic acute infection to development of chronic disease. Dr. Graves, who led viral disease research and strategy at Roche before retiring, will explore how innovative research and clinical breakthroughs of the time, and knowledge gained from the HIV treatment revolution, sped the way for curative treatments. She will touch on areas relevant to the current virus of interest: SARS CoV-2.
This page is work in progress. Check back here for more information as the schedule develops.
OLLI at Duke - Frontiers in Medicine - Fall 2020
This website will be revised as we progress through the summer and fall of 2020. As new developments and controversies come to light, the course content and the information on this website may be modified, so it is important to consult this website often. After presentations, many presenters permit us to post their slide sets on the SLIDES page.
Course description & rationale
New research results pertaining to health and well-being are constantly being presented in the mass media. However, new reports often seem to be contradictory to what was previously believed, leading to confusion about the best personal choices and societal recommendations. This course will provide a forum for discussion of the latest findings and controversies in the areas of interest to many. Invited experts will make presentations, followed by questions and comments from the participants. Classes are online via Zoom. You must register for the course with OLLI at Duke in order to attend lectures. Visit learnmore (dot) duke (dot) edu (slash) olli for information.
Course coordinators
Edwin Cox, MD, was in the practice of oncology (cancer chemotherapy) and hematology (blood diseases) for eleven years at Duke University Medical Center and nineteen years in private practice in Durham. He was director of Database for Duke Comprehensive Cancer Center, involved in the planning, conduct, and analysis of clinical trials. He now brings this training and experience to bear on contemporary health issues, especially those related to lifestyle, such as diet and physical activity. He teaches a full OLLI course entitled "What to Eat - And Why."
Kathleen Beach, MD, is a newly retired physician/epidemiologist. Educated in biochemical engineering and internal medicine, she worked at the FDA, then at biotech and pharmaceutical companies in Boston and RTP, where she led numerous drug programs from preliminary trials through approval for human use. Her interests lie in generating evidence to elucidate the efficacy and safety of medical interventions.
Class schedule: The course will generally meet online via Zoom, 11:00 am to 12:30 pm on Mondays, September 14 through November 23. NOTE: We will not meet on September 28.
Class format: Presenters will focus on recent research findings and controversies in their topics. The sessions may include: (1) formal presentations; (2) informal discussions; (3) question-answer discussions based on suggested readings or videos.
How to use this website. To view the supplementary information for a specific week, click on the links that are indicated by the blue typeface or navigate at the top of this page to the SLIDES.
Sept 14. Toward improving pregnancy outcomes by study of human placental development using in vitro models. Bala Rao, PhD.
Abnormalities in embryo implantation in the uterine lining and subsequent evolution of the placenta are associated with many complications of pregnancy, including infertility, pregnancy loss, fetal growth retardation and pre-eclampsia. Research could potentially identify interventions to help improve pregnancy outcomes. Animal models do not accurately mimic human physiology. Ethical and legal constraints limit research on human embryos. Dr. Rao will describe how his lab employs stem cells to generate relevant in vitro models to study early placental development. SLIDES
Sept 21. Gut microbiome engineering. Nathan Crook, PhD.
Our large intestine hosts a dense microbial community that plays a prominent role in human health and disease as documented in numerous studies. Now microbiota engineering has ushered in a quantitative approach to understanding long-term evolutionary fate of probiotic bacteria. From a background in chemical engineering, Dr. Crook has developed an engineering toolkit that produces strains of organisms targeting specific metabolic substrates and products. Results to date and future directions will be discussed.
Sept 28. No presentation.
Oct 5. SlowCOVIDNC: Smartphone app to corral the coronavirus. Edwin Cox, MD.
A new smartphone app is available that is designed to slow the spread of coronavirus in North Carolina. Appropriately, it is called "SlowCOVIDNC", and is available both for the iPhone in the App Store and Android in Google Play. If it gets widely installed on North Carolinians' phones and is used as directed, it could play a major role in protecting us. Dr. Cox will tell about its origin, how it works, and why we can trust it to maintain our confidentiality, while informing us if we have been exposed to an infected individual. You are encouraged to go ahead and install it, and get your questions about it answered in the lecture. SLIDES
Oct 12. Capturing the complex epigenetics of neurodevelopmental disorders in human brain organoids. Albert Keung, PhD.
The Keung Lab is focused on epigenetics. This term refers to the process whereby specialized molecules bind firmly to DNA to regulate gene expression and thus exert major influence over how an organism's genetic endowment is fulfilled. Dr. Keung will discuss how epigenetic phenomena are being investigated in connection with a neurodevelopmental disorder, Angelman syndrome, and in the neural pathways important in addiction, utilizing microtissues derived from human cells that mimic early human brain development.
Oct 19. Physical activity and public health. Bernard (Bob) Gutin, PhD.
In recent years many scientific findings have shown how different types of exercise influence biological and psychological well-being, This presentation will discuss implications for personal behavior and societal guidelines. Dr. Gutin brings a wealth of experience to bear on this topic from his research on these topics at Columbia University and the Medical College of Georgia.
Oct 26. Let's talk about a COVID vaccine. Kathleen Beach, MD.Developing a novel vaccine is a lengthy process. Even after it is created and tested for safety, licensing and manufacturing the vaccine require years of work to make it available to the general public. The FDA process can take more than ten years to complete the several phases of clinical trials. But the programs targeting SARS-CoV-2 are moving at unprecedented speed. We all ask: Will they be safe? Will they be effective? Who will get them and when? Dr. Beach will draw on her career in pharma to review the status of the coronavirus vaccines under development, using information from the media, the federal government, and medical organizations. SLIDES
Nov 2. The conquest of HIV: Prevention and long-term control with drug therapy. Mehri McKellar, MD.
Acquired immunodeficiency syndrome (AIDS) burst on the scene in the 1980s as a new human scourge, found to be due to the novel human immunodeficiency virus (HIV). In a monumental human achievement, the disease has been brought under control with medication, so that the majority of infected persons can expect to live a normal life. Dr. McKellar, who cares for over 300 individuals living with HIV, will discuss the evolution of HIV care, including rapid on-site testing and prevention of its spread through pre-exposure prophylaxis (PrEP).
Nov 9.Sleep: Why we need it, and how to improve yours. Rod Radtke, MD.
Sleep interests everyone: we all must sleep, and many of us have sleep issues. Dr. Radtke, the Medical Director of the DUMC Sleep Lab, will begin with normal sleep, its relation to aging and the limited understanding of sleep biology. Topics to be covered include insomnia and its treatment with cognitive behavioral therapy; obstructive sleep apnea and the newly-available hypoglossal nerve stimulator; and REM behavior disorder, restless legs syndrome and other causes of things that go bump in the night.
Nov 16. Lifelong health risks of sugar consumption during childhood development. Michael Goran, PhD.
Fructose - "fruit sugar" - was for a time considered more desirable nutritionally than glucose, because blood glucose doesn't rise following its consumption. Fructose comes from honey, fruits, sucrose (table sugar), and high-fructose corn syrup, and is profuse in sugar-sweetened beverages. Increasing evidence links excessive fructose consumption with altered metabolism and early obesity in animal models and limited human studies, leading to type 2 diabetes, heart disease and non-alcoholic fatty liver disease. Dr. Goran will discuss his research suggesting that early exposure to high levels of fructose during development induces lifelong changes favoring obesity and metabolic risk and compromising cognitive health.
Nov 23. The taming of hepatitis C: how to cure a chronic viral infection. Mary Graves, PhD.
The story of hepatitis C, from virus discovery in 1989 to high cure rates, set the record for a chronic infection. HCV is a classic example of the evolving virus-host battle from asymptomatic acute infection to development of chronic disease. Dr. Graves, who led viral disease research and strategy at Roche before retiring, will explore how innovative research and clinical breakthroughs of the time, and knowledge gained from the HIV treatment revolution, sped the way for curative treatments. She will touch on areas relevant to the current virus of interest: SARS CoV-2.
This page is work in progress. Check back here for more information as the schedule develops.