FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE CONTACT: Brenda Lange
Associate Director of Communication
215.248-7110
CHC to Present Distinguished Professor as Part of Annual Lecture Series
PHILADELPHIA — The Biology Department at Chestnut Hill College will present its 24th Annual Fall Biomedical Distinguished Lecture Series on Wednesday, October 4 at 2 p.m. in CHC’s East Parlor.
Dianne R. Soprano, Ph.D., professor of medical genetics and molecular biochemistry, professor of Fels Institute for Cancer Research and Molecular Biology, and associate dean of the graduate and MD/Ph.D. Programs in the Lewis Katz School of Medicine at Temple University, will be the speaker.
Dr. Soprano’s topic is “Vitamin A: Two Sides of the Same Coin—Essential Nutrient and Potent Therapeutic Agent.”
Vitamin A is an essential nutrient in the diet for the maintenance of normal growth, cellular differentiation, vision, skin, immune response, reproduction and embryonic development.
Natural forms of vitamin A are retinol, retinal and retinoic acid. Both suboptimal and excessive vitamin A intake are associated with a number of serious health conditions. Suboptimal vitamin A intake particularly in children remains an important international health concern. On the other hand, there has been substantial interest in the application of both retinol and retinoic acid and their synthetic analogs (retinoids) for the treatment of a number of health conditions including several different types of cancer and a variety of dermatological conditions.
This presentation will discuss vitamin A nutrition, metabolism and function in human health and disease along with current therapeutic applications of vitamin A and several synthetic retinoids.
The series is coordinated and directed by Lakshmi Atchison, Ph.D., professor of biology.
“The series has been highly successful and has allowed our students to develop out-of-the-box thinking while they network with some of the greatest scientific minds of this generation,” says Atchison.
“This lecture series is significant and carries ramifications beyond the borders of our institution. CHC has provided a forum for our community to learn about advances in biomedical research. The series also fosters meaningful scientific communication and collaboration while promoting new interest in global science and medicine,” she adds.
Now in its 25th year, the Biomedical Seminar Series presents prominent speakers in the biomedical field and in basic research, offering the campus community a chance to learn about advances in basic research and biomedicine while exposing students and faculty to respected scientific and medical professionals.
This free, public lecture series is always very well received. For more information, contact Lakshmi Atchison, Ph.D., professor of biology and director of the lecture series at 215-248-7159 or latchiso@chc.edu.
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