West Haven, Conn., April 17, 2008 - Lyme disease is the most prevalent tick-borne disease in the United States, costing about $1 billion a year due to inappropriate medical care, lost productivity, and legal fees associated with misdiagnosis. The latest research on the diagnosis and treatment of this crippling disease will be presented during the second largest Lyme disease conference in the United States, "Understanding and Treating Lyme Disease: Choices and Challenges" on May 17, 2008 at the University of New Haven (UNH), Dodds Theater. The conference is open to the general public with a registration fee of $65. The event includes an evening networking reception for Lyme disease patients.
Eva Sapi, Ph.D., associate professor of Biology and Environmental Sciences at UNH and organizer of the annual conference, says that topics addressed at the conference include the latest developments in the treatment of chronic Lyme disease, using traditional and alternative methods. The latest research developments will be also presented, including how the Lyme disease bacteria can escape therapy by forming protective layers around itself and how an alternative imaging method can help researchers better understand the biology of Lyme bacteria. Discussion topics will also include the neuropsychological effect of Lyme disease especially in children, and what parents and educators need to know about it, as well as new testing for Lyme and tick-borne diseases.
The conference is sponsored by the UNH College of Arts and Sciences, the Department of Biology and Environmental Sciences, and the Cellular and Molecular Biology Graduate Program.
For more information call 203-215-1290. To register go to http://www.unh-lyme.org/
Complete Program schedule:
Door opens at 7:30 a.m. Opening Remarks 8-8:15 a.m. | Research at University of New Haven: |
Ronald Nowaczyk, PhD Dean, Arts and Sciences, University of New Haven Eva Sapi, Ph.D. Associate Professor of Biology and Environmental Sciences, University of New Haven Sandy Berenbaum, LCSW, BCD Family Connections Center for Counseling | Opening Remarks: Stephanie Spar Vice President of Program Development/ Turn The Corner Foundation Eva Sapi, PhD Associate Professor of Biology and Environmental Sciences, University of New Haven "Recent Discoveries of Novel Pathogens in Ixodes Ticks in Southern Connecticut" 12:30-12:45 p.m. |
Richard Horowitz, MD Private Practice/Internal Medicine, Hyde Park, NY Vice President/ILADS "Classical and Integrative Medical approaches In Chronic Lyme Disease: New Paradigms for Diagnosis and Treatment" 8:15-8:55 a.m. | Saion Sinha, Ph.D. Associate Professor of Physics, University of New Haven " Probing deep into Lyme bacteria: Atomic Force Microscopy for high-magnification-imaging of Borrelia-burgdorferi" 12:45-1 p.m. |
| ~ Lunch break 1-2 p.m. ~ |
Jyotsna Shah, PhD Director, IgeneX, Inc., Palo Alto, CA "Lyme Testing as it Stands Today" 8:55-9:25 a.m. | W. Lee Cowden, MD Private Practice/Chandler, AZ "Non-pharmaceutical Treatments for Lyme Disease" 2-2:45 p.m. |
Steven Phillips, MD Private Practice/Internal Medicine, Wilton, CT "Chronic Lyme Disease. An Evidence Based Review" 9:25-10:05 a.m. | Jeff Wulfman MD Assistant Clinical Professor, Univ. of Vermont Private Practice/Family Medicine, Brandon, Vermont "The Big Picture: Integrative Understanding and Approach to "Lyme Disease" and Chronic Illness?" 2:45-3:25 p.m. |
~ Morning Break 10:05-10:20 a.m. ~ | ~ Afternoon Break 3:20-3:40 p.m. ~ |
Pat Smith, President, Lyme Disease Association, Inc. "Lyme and Other Tick-Borne Diseases: Overview of Impact, Actions, and Solutions" 10:20-11:00 Am | Kenneth B. Liegner, MD Private Practice/Internal Medicine, Armonk, NY "Case Presentation: Suspected Lyme disease in a 12 year-old girl with reflex sympathetic dystrophy and immune complex phenomena" 3:40-4:20 p.m. |
Judith G. Leventhal, Ph.D. Private Practice, New York, NY Leo J. Shea III, Ph.D. Clinical Assistant Professor of Rehabilitation Medicine at Rusk Institute New York NY "The Role of the Neuropsychological Evaluation in Understanding and Treating Lyme Disease: What Doctors, Educators and Parents Need to Know" 11 a.m.-noon | Joseph J. Burrascano, MD Medical Director, Advanced Research Corporation "Lyme Disease - A Research Update" 4:20-5 p.m. |
MEET THE DOCTORS AND RESEARCHERS Panel Discussion 5:00-5:45 pm |
Alan MacDonald, MD St. Catherine of Siena Medical Center, Smithtown, NY Department of Pathology "Clinical Implications of Borrelia Biofilms - A Unifying Concept to Explain Relapse and Chronicity in Lyme Borreliosis" Noon-12:30 p.m. | ~ Networking Reception ~ 5:45-7 p.m. |
A leader in experiential education, the University of New Haven provides its students with a unique combination of solid liberal arts and real-world, hands-on professional training. A private University founded in 1920, UNH has a full-time undergraduate enrollment of more than 2,400 students-with 70 percent residing on its 80-acre main campus-and a graduate school enrollment that exceeds 1,700. The University offers more than 80 undergraduate degrees and more than 25 graduate degrees through its four colleges, in fields such as sports management, nutrition, forensic science, music and sound recording, engineering, computer science and criminal justice. University College at UNH develops programs and courses to meet the emerging educational and training needs of educators, businesses and public and social agencies, focusing on academic excellence, convenience and flexibility. University of New Haven students study abroad through a variety of distinctive programs.
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