Sweat Smart: What Sports Medicine Science Tells Us about Effective – and Safe – Exercise | Douglas B. McKeag, M.D., M.S., F.A.C.S.M.

Watch video (Oct. 19, 2017)

Whether you're an athlete, a weekend warrior or an active retiree, sports medicine science has come a long way in discovering the do's and don'ts of injury-free fitness. Douglas B. McKeag M.D., M.S., F.A.C.S.M., adjunct instructor of Family Medicine, OHSU School of Medicine, shares insights on such current topics as concussion risk on the playing field;high-intensity interval training (HIIT) and how to keep your knees going as long as you do. Dr. McKeag, a pioneer in primary care sports medicine, founding director of the Indiana University Center for Sports Medicine and longtime chair of family medicine at IU School of Medicine, is an OHSU-affiliated instructor who has served as a consultant to the 2000 Sydney and 2008 Beijing Olympic Committees and an expert source for such publications as Sports Illustrated and ESPN, Dr. McKeag is known for his factual and informative presentations.

The promise of early cancer detection | Sadik Esener, Ph.D.

Watch video (Nov. 16, 2017)

National Cancer Institute data shows that cancer patients' five-year survival rate approaches 99 percent if the disease is detected at stage 1. The challenge: many cancers detected early are not actually lethal – yet current detection approaches can't tell us which are or aren't, so patients too often get unnecessary, sometimes risky, therapies that impact their quality of life. Sadik Esener, Ph.D., is building a multidisciplinary team to reveal the evolutionary biology of cancer to develop low-cost screening, determine which cancers to aggressively treat and leverage precision therapies to minimize toxicity. The Wendt Family Chair professor of biomedical engineering in the OHSU School of Medicine and director of the Knight Cancer Institute Cancer Early Detection Advanced Research Center (CEDAR), Dr. Esener and his team's goal is to find and eliminate lethal cancers at the earliest stage with little harm to the patient.

Your zip code/your health: Understanding and overcoming the social determinants of health | David Bangsberg, M.D., M.P.H.

Watch video (Feb. 8, 2018)

David Bangsberg, M.D., M.P.H., founding dean of the OHSU-PSU School of Public Health, takes us on his personal and scholarly journey from Lincoln High School Class of 1981 in Portland to medical school in Baltimore, residency in New York City, fellowship in San Francisco, professorship in Cambridge, MA and visiting professorship in rural Uganda. Caring for people suffering from HIV/AIDS, addiction and homelessness, he learned the extent to which where you are born and the social climate around you determines your health. For Dr. Bangsberg, returning to Portland to lead the new OHSU-PSU School of Public Health is making good on his commitment to change that paradigm.

Holding Fast to Dreams: Creating a Climate of Success for All Students in STEM and Beyond | Freeman Hrabowski, President, University of Maryland, Baltimore County

Mark O. Hatfield Lecture – Co-Sponsored by Marquam Hill Steering Committee

Watch video (April 9, 2018)

Rapid and dramatic demographic and technological changes present our nation with enormous challenges for educating students and preparing them for successful careers, particularly in science, technology, engineering, and math (STEM). Freeman Hrabowski, President of the University of Maryland, Baltimore County (UMBC), leads a campus widely recognized for its culture of embracing academic innovation to help students of all backgrounds succeed. He will draw on UMBC's experiences, along with three decades of studying minority student achievement nationwide, to discuss approaches for promoting inclusive excellence, academic innovation, and ultimately student success.

Cracking the code of advanced prostate cancer | Joshi J. Alumkal, M.D.

Watch video (May 17, 2018)

Prostate cancer is the third-leading cause of cancer-related death in men in the United States. Not all prostate cancers are the same, and we now know more than ever about how the blueprint­ –or code –of prostate cancer cells differs from normal cells. Understanding which differences in this blueprint are most important for cancer aggressiveness and treatment decision-making will be the focus of Dr. Joshi Alumkal's lecture. Dr. Alumkal is an associate professor of medicine in the OHSU School of Medicine and co-leader of the OHSU Knight Cancer Institute Prostate Cancer Research Program. In this lecture, Dr. Alumkal will discuss how engaging patients as partners has significantly improved our ability to understand the blueprint of advanced prostate cancer and to develop new treatments to control advanced prostate cancer more effectively.

The Impact of Diabetes | presented by Jessica Castle, M.D.

October 20, 2016
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Since 1990, diabetes in Oregon has increased 118 percent, according to the Oregon Health Authority. What's behind the trend and how is research contributing to a better understanding of this chronic metabolic disease? What do clinical studies tell us about the importance of exercise and nutrition in managing diabetes? Dr. Jessica Castle has devoted her career to answering such questions. Dr. Castle sees patients at the Harold Schnitzer Diabetes Health Center and conducts research on the promise of artificial pancreas technology to improve the lives of people with diabetes. Attendees learned about the latest advances in type 1 and type 2 diabetes research which could impact the approximately 278,000 adult Oregonians who have diabetes.

Pancreatic Cancer: America's #2 Cancer Killer | presented by Brett Sheppard, M.D., F.A.C.S.

November 17, 2016
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Recent data from the American Cancer Society projects that pancreatic cancer will be the second leading cause of cancer-related deaths by 2020. How can you reduce your risk of pancreatic cancer? What do you do if it strikes? Dr. Brett Sheppard is leading a transformative approach to cancer treatment. He and colleagues have created a patient-centric hub for clinical and research programs that focus on three main areas: early detection, advanced therapy and quality of life. Dr. Sheppard also created the Oregon Pancreatic Tissue Registry –giving patients an opportunity to participate in a long-term research registry with a special focus on the hereditary causes of pancreatic tumors. This event was on World Pancreatic Cancer Day and helped support the effort to raise awareness and find new treatments.

What Goes Wrong with Brain Control of Balance? | presented by Fay Horak, Ph.D.

March 16, 2017
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Worried about falling? The ability to stand and take a step without falling involves complex brain processes that can be disrupted by neurological disease, sensory problems and aging. Dr. Fay Horak conducts research on how the brain operates to make standing and walking possible. Her laboratory conducts studies on how exercise helps patients with neurological disease reduce their risk of falls. Dr. Horak and colleagues are working on new wearable, digital tools that could change the way patients monitor their own mobility. Attendees learned about this fascinating OHSU research and came away with a new understanding of the brain.

Inside the Developing Brain | Damien Fair, Ph.D., P.A.-C.

April 20, 2017
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How do images from inside the brain help guide future therapies for neuropsychiatric disorders such as attention deficit hyperactivity disorder and autism? Dr. Damien Fair seeks answers to such questions. He and OHSU colleagues are taking part in a landmark study funded by the National Institutes of Health to understand the effects of adolescent substance use on the developing brain: the Adolescent Brain Cognitive Development study. Attendees learned about the ABCD study and about Dr. Fair's work to understand one of the most influential aspects of growing up: the development of the brain.

Advance Care Planning for Everyone: Science and Practical Advice | presented by Erik Fromme, M.D.

May 18, 2017
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Have you and your family had the conversation? If an unexpected injury or illness prevented you from communicating, would your family or your health care providers be confident they understand your values and feel prepared to make the best decisions possible? Dr. Erik Fromme and colleagues developed a framework called Caring Wisely to help ensure doctors understand and honor patients' health care wishes. The goal? When patients and families –and the health professionals caring for them –reach the point where difficult treatment decisions need to be made, those present feel well prepared. Attendees got practical steps on how to begin advance care planning.

Beyond Genetics: The Role of Nutrition in Health and Disease | Presented by Susan Bagby, M.D.

Watch video (November 19, 2015)

Chances are, you know someone with high blood pressure. Also known as hypertension, high blood pressure was associated with 38.9 million doctor visits in 2010, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. What if we could prevent this, and other chronic diseases, by changing how we eat? It turns out your DNA is not a rigid blueprint for future health. 

Susan Bagby, M.D., professor of medicine in the OHSU School of Medicine, has devoted her research career to finding out what triggers high blood pressure. Now, Dr. Bagby is among a group of internationally-recognized scientists at the OHSU Moore Institute for Nutrition & Wellness who study the role of nutrition in the womb and factors that predict future disease. Their work is the foundation of a movement to better the future.

Lessons from the Battlefield: How Military Trauma Care Transforms Civilian Care in the United States | Presented by Martin Schreiber, M.D.

Watch video (February 18, 2016)

Head and brain trauma are two of the most common mechanisms of injury on the battlefield. Medical professionals must act quickly with the best available guidelines to treat injured war fighters. How do advances in military trauma care influence the way civilian trauma care is delivered? Martin Schreiber, M.D., professor of surgery in the OHSU School of Medicine, has served in Iraq and Afghanistan and is a leader in the trauma community. His research and experience in military theater has saved lives and is being incorporated into trauma care at OHSU and around the country. Results of his studies have wide-reaching implications for situations we all hope to avoid, but are critical when patients are the most vulnerable. 

Attendees got a behind-the-scenes perspective from a military physician and learned how Dr. Schreiber's work is improving treatments at home for patients with serious trauma.

The 24-Hour Clock and Human Health | Presented by Steven Shea, Ph.D.

Watch video (March 17, 2016)

Did you know heart attacks occur most frequently in the morning? And asthma is generally worst at night? What's behind this connection between the 24-hour clock and the body clock? Steven Shea, Ph.D., director and senior scientist at the Oregon Institute of Occupational Health Sciences, seeks to uncover why the severity of many diseases varies across the 24-hour period. If scientists can understand the biological basis behind these changes, it may provide insight into the underlying cause of the disease and could lead to better therapy. Dr. Shea's research also includes studies of sleep and circadian rhythms as they relate to accidents and the overall health of shift workers and people suffering from sleep disorders. 

Attendees of this lecture learned more about the fascinating interplay between being asleep, being awake and being healthy.

The Promise of Gene Therapy for Metabolic Rare Diseases | Presented by Cary Harding, M.D.

Watch video (April 21, 2016)

What is a rare disease? The National Institutes of Health define it as a disease that generally affects fewer than 200,000 people in the United States. However, about 7,000 such disorders have been identified, affecting an estimated 25-30 million Americans! Cary Harding, M.D., professor of molecular and medical genetics in the OHSU School of Medicine, studies inborn errors of metabolism (IEM), which are rare genetic disorders in which the body cannot properly turn food into energy. Sometimes people are born with the disorders and sometimes they develop them as adults. Existing medical options, such as a restricted diet, are less than ideal. Gene therapy is a promising new approach for people with IEM. Dr. Harding and his colleagues are on the cutting-edge of developing gene transfer therapies for the treatment of IEM.

Attendees learned about the promising research that could affect the lives of millions of people in this country with a rare disease.

Transforming Cancer Care with Next Generation Sequencing | Presented by Christopher Corless, M.D., Ph.D.

Watch video (May 19, 2016)

Cancers are caused by mutations in a person's DNA. These mutations cause tumors to grow. New technology gives researchers mountains of data about cancer, but how can this information be turned into the right therapy for the right tumor? The OHSU Knight Cancer Institute is using big data analysis to advance precision cancer care. Christopher Corless, M.D., Ph.D., professor of pathology in the OHSU School of Medicine and chief medical officer of OHSU's Knight Diagnostic Laboratories, is an expert in personalized diagnostics. Dr. Corless and colleagues take millions of fragments of DNA from a single sample and use high-end computing tools to sequence them at the same time. This next generation sequencing helps scientists identify the weak points in many types of cancer, and helps health care providers create personalized treatment plans for patients. 

Attendees learned how OHSU researchers are turning data into knowledge that will transform the way all cancers are treated – one patient at a time. 

Secrets of the Developing Brain | Presented by Bonnie Nagel, Ph.D.

Watch video (October 16, 2014)

Bonnie Nagel, Ph.D., associate professor of psychiatry and behavioral neuroscience in the OHSU School of Medicine, is an expert on adolescent neurodevelopment. Dr. Nagel and colleagues have been studying brain development in healthy and at-risk youth for years. Their work reveals secrets of the developing brain, including developmental differences between the sexes, and how experiences (both positive and negative) impact the brain. 

This lecture helped parents, friends and teenagers themselves get a better understanding of what makes adolescence such a unique and vulnerable time. 

Beating Cancer with Exercise | Presented by Kerri Winters-Stone, Ph.D., FACSM

Watch video (November 20, 2014)

Exercise is known to prevent and help manage chronic diseases like diabetes or heart disease. Can exercise also help cancer survivors live longer and better? This question is at the heart of a compelling body of research led by Kerri Winters-Stone, Ph.D., research professor in the OHSU School of Nursing. 

Dr. Winters-Stone and colleagues want to know more about the healing power of exercise. Can it slow cancer progression? Can exercise help both patients and family members affected by cancer? Early results have revealed unexpected benefits for patients who exercise with their spouse. 

Ending an Epidemic: OHSU's Hunt for an HIV Vaccine | Presented by Louis Picker, M.D.

Watch video (February 19, 2015)

When Louis Picker, M.D., and his colleagues described in 2013 how their HIV vaccine candidate worked, the world took notice. Dr. Picker, associate director of the OHSU Vaccine and Gene Therapy Institute, developed a vaccine that prevents a virus similar to HIV, the virus that causes AIDS. 

For the more than 35 million people around the globe living with HIV, this research may signal the end to a decades-long battle to end the disease. With new support, including a $25 million grant from the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation, Dr. Picker is moving forward to test the safety of a human version of the vaccine that may someday prevent or cure HIV infection. Attendees learned first-hand how OHSU research could transform the way physicians, researchers and public health advocates fight against HIV.

The Magic of Microbubbles | Presented by Sanjiv Kaul, M.D.

Watch video (April 16, 2015)

One in every four deaths in the United States is caused by heart disease. Coronary heart disease – the most common type – accounts for 380,000 deaths annually, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. 

Sanjiv Kaul, M.D., Ernest C. Swigert chair of cardiology and professor of medicine in the OHSU School of Medicine, pioneered a powerfully effective screening test for the early detection of coronary heart disease. Used more than five million times in patients around the world, myocardial contrast echocardiography combines microbubbles and ultrasound technology to create images of the heart. Dr. Kaul, who is also co-director of the OHSU Knight Cardiovascular Institute, talked about how these tiny bubbles will someday help detect and treat other ailments, including cancer. 

Declaring War on Melanoma | Presented by Sancy Leachman, M.D., Ph.D.

Watch video (May 21, 2015)

Watch out, melanoma. We're teaming up to get you. Those words capture the sentiment of OHSU's aggressive campaign to prevent, detect and treat melanoma. Sancy Leachman, M.D., Ph.D., professor and chair of dermatology in the OHSU School of Medicine, is a world-renowned melanoma researcher who is determined to find answers and reduce deaths caused by melanoma. 

Oregon consistently has one of the highest rates of melanoma incidence and death in the nation, particularly for women, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. Why is melanoma so common in a state that is known more for rain than sunshine? A team of researchers at OHSU, in collaboration with patients, their family and friends, have created the Melanoma Community Registry – a first step in the "war" to make melanoma the victim. Attendees gained practical information about melanoma and to learn what's on the horizon for this type of cancer.

Creating a Google Map of Cancer? presented by: Joe Gray, Ph.D. (March 21, 2013)

Imagine being able to visualize every twist and turn of cancer as it progresses throughout the human body – and know just when and how to stop it in its path. Using powerful advanced imaging technologies that illustrate cells, tissues and structural details across time, OHSU scientists are assembling the "Google map" of cancer and other diseases.

Joe Gray, Ph.D., is chair of the Department of Biomedical Engineering, associate director for translational research in the OHSU Knight Cancer Institute and director of the OHSU Center for Spatial Systems Biomedicine. Dr. Gray demonstrated how he and colleagues are working to catapult us into the 21st century with four-dimensional medicine (three spatial dimensions and time).

Vaccination Nation? Separating Fact from Fiction presented by: Mark Slifka, Ph.D. (February 21, 2013)

Mark Slifka, Ph.D., professor of molecular microbiology and immunology and senior scientist at the OHSU Vaccine and Gene Therapy Institute and Oregon National Primate Research Center, has been studying vaccines for more than 15 years. Dr. Slifka's research, examining decades of data, suggests people have a physiological ceiling for vaccine immunity, which may argue for a shift in the current revaccination schedule for millions of Americans. It also indicates that the recent media hype about the danger of vaccinations, or their connection to autism and other disorders, is scientifically unfounded.

Thinking Outside the Box to Treat Late-Stage Cancer presented by: Melissa Wong, Ph.D. (November 15, 2012)

Melissa Wong, Ph.D., is an associate professor of dermatology and cell and developmental biology, a researcher in the Oregon Stem Cell Center and a member of the OHSU Knight Cancer Institute. Dr. Wong's goal is to track down and stop cancer cells before they turn deadly. Her presentation focused on the search for the elusive triggers that spark cancer cells' aggressive behavior and explain how this information may help shape new life-saving treatments for late-stage cancer.

Unraveling Addiction Using Behavioral Genetics presented by: Tamara Phillips, Ph.D. (October 18, 2012)

Tamara Phillips, Ph.D., is an award-winning researcher, a professor of behavioral neuroscience in the OHSU School of Medicine and a senior research career scientist at the Portland Veterans Affairs Medical Center. She asks: What if we could identify the genes that predispose some people to be attracted to drugs or alcohol? She and colleagues focus on the genetic dissection of behavioral traits thought to influence risk for the development of alcoholism and drug abuse.

MARK O. HATFIELD LECTURE: Dr. Chu goes to Washington
A special presentation by the Marquam Hill Lecture Series

Presented by: Steven Chu, Ph.D. (April 23, 2013)Human health and well-being depend on a healthy global environment. Steven Chu, Ph.D., discussed his vision of our energy future and how innovations in technology and public policy can help us/U.S. lead the world to a sustainable future. Dr. Chu is a distinguished scientist and co-winner of the Nobel Prize for Physics (1997). He served as the United States Secretary of Energy from January 2009 to April 2013.Prior to this appointment, Dr. Chu was director of the Lawrence Berkeley National Lab where he led the lab in pursuit of alternative and renewable energy technologies; he also taught at the University of California as a professor of physics and molecular and cell biology. He has returned to Stanford as a member of the Physics and Molecular and Cellular Physiology Departments.

OHSU concurrently welcomed Dr. Chu as a 125th anniversary lecturer.

Exercise and Nutrition: The Best Medicine presented by Kerry Kuehl, M.D., Dr.PH. (April 19, 2012)

Dr. Kuehl is an Associate Professor of Medicine and Co-Director of the Human Performance Laboratory in the Division of Health Promotion & Sports Medicine at OHSU. As a primary care physician with a master’s degree in exercise physiology and a doctorate in nutrition, he specializes in using exercise and nutrition in the treatment and prevention of disease.

Dr. Kuehl discussed the irrefutable body of scientific evidence that links your good health and longevity with being physically active and eating a healthy diet. Watch the video of his talk here. On April 14, Dr. Kuehl was a guest on the OHSU Effect radio show. You can listen to the show or download a podcast.

What do Women (and Men) Want? Next Generation Birth Control and Family Planning presented by Jeffrey Jensen, M.D., M.P.H. (February 16, 2012)

Why are new birth control choices needed? What is the relationship between population growth and environmental problems? In his Feb. 16, 2012 lecture, Dr. Jensen addressed these, and many more, questions. Dr. Jensen talked about next-generation birth control and the race to bring better choices to family planning. Dr. Jensen is the Leon Speroff Professor and Vice Chair for Research in the Department of Obstetrics & Gynecology, Director of the Women's Health Research Unit in the Center for Women's Health, and a collaborating scientist at the Oregon National Primate Research Center.

Watch the video of his talk here. On Feb. 4, Dr. Jensen was a guest on the OHSU Effect radio show. You can listen to the show or download a podcast.

New Windows to Your Heart: Breakthroughs in Cardiovascular Imaging presented by Jonathan Lindner, M.D. (November 17, 2011)

Can you picture the heart at its molecular level? In this talk, Dr. Lindner explained – and showed – images of the heart that bring disease out of hiding, before it becomes deadly. Dr. Lindner is a Professor of Medicine, Cardiovascular Division, with a joint appointment in the Department of Biomedical Engineering in the OHSU School of Medicine. Dr. Lindner is an internationally known leader in cutting edge methods for imaging and treatment of heart disease, and inflammatory diseases. He is also Associate Chief for Education in OHSU’s Cardiovascular Division and directs the training program for cardiologists in training. 

Watch the video of Dr. Lindner's lecture here. On Nov. 12, 2011, Dr. Lindner was a guest on the OHSU Effect radio show. You can listen to the show or download a podcast. 

The Hunt for Biological Mechanisms in Asthma presented by Allison Fryer, Ph.D., Professor, Department of Medicine, and Associate Dean for Graduate Studies (October 20, 2011)

The number of people diagnosed with asthma grows every year. Yet the biological pathways that cause the airway narrowing and closure characteristic of asthma are poorly understood. Dr. Fryer presented research Oct. 20, 2011 about peripheral nerves – nerves that connect the brain to the lungs – and how they are changed through interactions with cells from the immune system to cause the excessive airway narrowing seen in asthma exacerbations. Dr. Fryer is a Professor of Medicine and the Associate Dean for Graduate Studies in the OHSU School of Medicine.

Watch the video of Dr. Fryer's lecture here. On Oct. 8, 2011, Dr. Fryer was a guest on the OHSU Effect radio show. You can listen to the show or download a podcast.

Mark O. Hatfield Lecture: The Value of Health—The Argument for Strong Investment in Medical and Scientific Research A special presentation by the Marquam Hill Lecture Series

Presented by: Albert Starr, M.D. (March 15, 2012) The late Senator Hatfield was a tireless advocate for scientific and medical research and for Oregon’s system of higher education. That advocacy made possible the Oregon Health & Science University we know today. To honor his legacy, OHSU hosts an annual Mark O. Hatfield Lecture, delivered this year by Dr. Albert Starr. Dr. Starr came to OHSU in 1957 and led OHSU’s heart surgery program. He is best known for co-inventing and implanting the world’s first successful artificial heart valve, the Starr-Edwards Heart Valve, in 1960. Since then, the artificial heart valve technology has saved literally hundreds of thousands of lives.In his lecture, Dr. Starr discussed the importance of public support in the advancement of his own research – as well as that of OHSU – and examined the social and economic benefits of health and longevity. Watch the video of his talk here.

Neuroprotection and Stroke: New Strategies to Protect Against Brain Injury presented by Mary Stenzel-Poore, Ph.D., and Helmi Lutsep, M.D. (April 21, 2011)

Current clinical treatments for stroke focus on rapidly applied, post-stroke therapies and physical rehabilitation. What if it were possible to identify those most at risk for stroke and offer "pre-treatment" to provide protection before a stroke ever occurs? Dr. Stenzel-Poore identifies stimulii that improve the brain's response through preconditioning.

Forty Years in Alcohol and Drug Abuse Research: A Personal History (audio) presented by Robert Hitzemann, Ph.D. (March 21, 2011) 

Part science, part history, Hitzemann's story of 40 years of research into substance abuse begins when researchers knew of the existence of only four neurotransmitters, and considered hallucinogens to be an appropriate model for schizophrenia research. Researchers now study many hundreds of neurotransmitters, employ sophisticated techniques to help us better understand the chemistry of substance abuse in the brain, and guide clinical and societal solutions to its impacts.

Rare Disorders - Unique Challenges for Families and Physicians presented by Susan Hayflick, M.D. (November 18, 2010)

Rare diseases are those that affect fewer than 200,000 Americans at any given time. Nearly 7,000 such diseases are known today, many of them targeting children and all impacting patients and families. Dr. Hayflick has dedicated her research to finding a cure for neurodegeneration with brain iron accumulation (NBIA), a group of rare, genetic neurological disorders. Dr. Hayflick will discuss the science that many of these rare diseases share and the social and economic challenges that these patients face.

The Future of Interventional Cardiology - Or Are We Already There? presented by Saurabh Gupta, M.D. (October 15, 2010)

Using research data and a series of animations, Dr. Gupta will guide attendees through the body's vascular system into the heart to demonstrate new and innovative uses for stents, balloons and umbrellas in catheter-based treatments for structural heart defects.