With a focus on factors that affect heart health, the 2018 Imagine, Inspire, Challenge (II+C) Symposium at Mississippi University for Women will feature outstanding researchers in the field as well as faculty experts. The theme for the second annual event is “Know Your Numbers.” All sessions will be held in Rent Auditorium of Whitfield Hall.
The symposium begins Monday, March 26 at 7 p.m. with a keynote address by Dr. Doris A. Taylor, a 1977 alumna and director of Regenerative Medicine Research at the Texas Heart Institute in Houston, Texas. She has worked in the field of cardiovascular regenerative medicine since its inception and is widely recognized for several major breakthroughs in cardiac repair and replacement. A Fellow of the American Heart Association and the American College of Cardiology, she was honored with the 4th Madrid Award for Excellence in Basic and Preclinical Cardiovascular Regenerative Research in 2017.
Among other awards, she received the 2016 Distinguished Alumnus Award from the American Association of State Colleges and Universities, annually recognizing a graduate of one institution who has made significant contributions to the public, intellectual or cultural life of the nation. Her work has been featured on “60 Minutes,” “Through the Wormhole” with Morgan Freeman, the British Broadcasting Corp., and the National Geographic network, as well as in countless national and international outlets.
“Our goal this year is to inspire learning, imagine a different future and challenge ourselves to know where we as Mississippians, Columbus citizens and members of The W stand with heart disease — the number one killer of Americans.
“By knowing our numbers and controlling them, we dramatically reduce our risk of developing heart disease,” Taylor said. “I love what I do, but I want to put myself out of business. None of us needs heart disease.”
The importance of numbers such as blood pressure, blood cholesterol and sugar levels and body mass index will be emphasized. But new treatments and technologies will also be discussed.
“The College of Nursing and Health Sciences has organized screening of these numbers for the first 75 participants who arrive for testing beginning at 7 a.m. March 27, with preference given to those who have fasted before testing,” Taylor explained. “We’ll analyze the results in real time during the conference and conclude with snapshots of what the numbers mean for us personally and for our community at large.”
Beginning at 9 a.m. Tuesday, March 27, faculty members at The W will participate in a panel discussion of major factors that affect heart health, including exercise, diet, stress and genetics. Displays in the hallway of Whitfield will provide additional information and tips, as well as highlighting healthy lifestyle resources available at The W.
Also at 10:30 a.m. on Tuesday, symposium attendees will hear from Dr. Luiz C. Sampaio, associate medical director of Regenerative Medicine Research and director of the Cullen Cardiovascular Research Laboratories at the Texas Heart Institute. In the Cullen Cardiovascular Research Laboratories, his work focuses on building mechanical hearts and associated technologies that assist in the heart’s circulation.
For more information, visit muw.edu/iic.
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