SAN ANTONIO (Nov. 13, 2007) — Advancements in genetics research in San Antonio — with global impact on HIV/AIDS, schizophrenia and aging —will be the focus Wednesday, Nov. 14, as National Public Radio’s Ira Flatow, award-winning host of “Talk of the Nation: Science Friday,” hosts a special “Science Wednesday” from the Alamo City.
Three faculty members from The University of Texas Health Science Center at San Antonio will present their work and observations.
Texas Public Radio is shining the light on DNA research in San Antonio during “DNA Files Month” in November. Flatow will host the show from 1 to 2:30 p.m. Wednesday at the San Pedro Playhouse, 800 W. Ashby Place. The program, which will be taped for rebroadcast on Texas Public Radio’s “Newsmaker Hour,” is free and open to the public.
Dr. Sunil K. Ahuja of the UT Health Science Center and Dr. Matthew Dolan of San Antonio Military Medical Center and the Infectious Disease Clinical Research Program of the Uniformed Services University of Health Sciences in Bethesda, Md., will discuss genes that confer cell-mediated immunity against HIV/AIDS. Part of this study, recently published in the journal Nature Immunology, was done in a population at Wilford Hall Medical Center.
Consuelo Walss-Bass, Ph.D., of the Health Science Center will discuss research on the genetic links to schizophrenia.
Paul Hasty, D.V.M., of the Health Science Center will discuss how better understandings of DNA repair mechanisms could lead to healthier aging in the future.
“The DNA Files” program is airing Thursdays at 7 p.m. on KSTX 89.1 FM through Dec. 6. For more information, visit www.tpr.org.
The University of Texas Health Science Center at San Antonio is the leading research institution in South Texas and one of the major health sciences universities in the world. With an operating budget of $576 million, the Health Science Center is the chief catalyst for the $15.3 billion biosciences and health care sector in San Antonio’s economy. The Health Science Center has had an estimated $35 billion impact on the region since inception and has expanded to six campuses in San Antonio, Laredo, Harlingen and Edinburg. More than 22,000 graduates (physicians, dentists, nurses, scientists and allied health professionals) serve in their fields, including many in Texas. Health Science Center faculty are international leaders in cancer, cardiovascular disease, diabetes, aging, stroke prevention, kidney disease, orthopaedics, research imaging, transplant surgery, psychiatry and clinical neurosciences, pain management, genetics, nursing, allied health, dentistry and many other fields.