Women’s Health Series Explores Aging

Aging well is the focus of the third annual Women’s Health Series at the University of Wisconsin Foundation.

Sponsored by the UW School of Medicine and Public Health and the Foundation’s Women’s Philanthropy Council, the annual series is designed to help women take better care of themselves. In each program, nationally recognized UW-Madison faculty members share the latest research on women’s health issues, suggest practical tips to improve wellness and answer questions.

This year’s series focuses on aging, with programs about age-related macular degeneration (April 14), Alzheimer’s disease (June 2) and osteoporosis and Vitamin D (September 8).

Aparna Lakkaraju, PhD, an assistant professor in the Department of Opthalmology and Visual Sciences, leads off this year’s series with “Seeing Clearly: Exploring age-related macular degeneration.” Lakkaraju will present the latest research to identify the causes of age-related macular degeneration (AMD) and what women can do to protect their eyes.

In her lab, Lakkaraju explores the cell biology of AMD, the most common cause of blindness in developing countries. The disease destroys central, high-resolution vision and robs people of the ability to perform essential tasks, including reading, writing and driving. In 90 percent of the cases, it occurs as a chronic, progressive deterioration of central vision. Lakkaraju looks especially at the layer of cells that form the outermost layer of the retina.

Carey Gleason, PhD, MS, executive director of the Wisconsin Alzheimer’s Disease Research Center, returns for a second year to discuss the latest research on how to prevent Alzheimer’s disease, as well as the importance of early diagnosis and emerging treatments.

The Wisconsin Alzheimer’s Disease Research Center is dedicated to improving the lives of people affected by Alzheimer’s disease through innovative science that targets the prevention and treatment of the disease. The center’s research focuses on

• identifying early biological markers for the disease,
• investigating novel prevention and treatment strategies, and
• clarifying how genetics and lifestyle contribute to disease risk.

Neil Binkley, MD, co-director of the UW Health Osteoporosis Clinical Research Center, will discuss the latest research about osteoporosis, the role of vitamin D and what you can do to maintain strong bones.

Binkley was instrumental in establishing the Osteoporosis Clinical Center and the Osteoporosis Clinical Research Program to offer treatment options unavailable in standard clinical practice.

In his laboratory, he studies the role of nutrition in bone loss, the use of bone mass measurements to diagnose and treat osteoporosis, and the optimal treatment for people with the disease. His work has documented that higher dose regimens of vitamin D are safe and effective in older adults, although there are substantial differences in individual responses to the vitamin. He continues to explore how to measure vitamin D and evaluate other non-skeletal effects of vitamin D insufficiency.

The programs, held at the UW Foundation, cost $10 each or $25 for the series and are open to the public. Hors d’oeuvres will be served. You will find a registration form here.

To attend, please print and return the reply form by March 17, 2011. If you have questions, contact Kay Burns at 608-265-6433 or kay.burns@supportuw.org. You will receive a confirmation letter and reminders for the evenings you sign up for in the mail.