Engineering the Future of Health | Springtime Science

From skinned knees to broken bones, our bodies are capable of repairing themselves under certain circumstances. But what if the principles of regeneration and engineering could be applied to treat a broad range of diseases? Regenerative medicine does just that, going beyond disease management to discover therapies to heal tissues and organs and restore the body to a state of well-being. Researchers are investing significant time and money towards technologies such as organ printing and tirelessly working towards translating these therapies to the clinic.

Presenter: Apurva Godbole

Our goal is to:

• Enlighten listeners about what tissue engineering and regenerative medicine is.
• Discuss exciting approaches in tissue engineering, such as organ printing.
• Enlighten listeners where the field stands in terms of translating to the clinic.

Explore Additional Webinars in the Springtime Science Series

Springtime Science is presented in collaboration with the Interdisciplinary Health Sciences Institute as part of Extension’s Community Seminar Series. These free one-hour sessions provide research-based insights into complex health challenges. CEUs are available as you register.

If you need a reasonable accommodation to participate, please contact Dee Walls at walls1@illinois.edu. Early requests are strongly encouraged to allow sufficient time to meet access needs.

March 30: Preventing Chronic Disease Through Behavior Modification

Lifestyle medicine seeks to prevent risk of chronic disease and improve quality of life through patient-driven behavior modification. The six pillars of LM are:

• physical activity
• nutrition
• substance abuse
• healthy relationships
• stress and mental health
• sleep.

Learn about lifestyle medicine, the evidence behind successful interventions for lifelong change, and the future of lifestyle medicine in clinical training and practice.

Presenters:  Lindsey Ades, Andrew Hua

After this presentation, you should:

• Know the 6 pillars of lifestyle medicine.
• Understand the different stages of behavior change and the role of motivational interviewing and SMART goals to encourage lifestyle modification.
• Have a better understanding of healthy versus unhealthy lifestyles.

April 13: Patients vs. Pathogens: When Antimicrobials No Longer Work

Antimicrobial resistance (AMR) occurs when commonly prescribed medications that could previously treat bacterial or fungal infections no longer work on infected patients, often leading to death. In 2019, at least 1.27 million people around the world died from AMR infections and in another 4.95 million deaths such infections played a part. Deaths due to AMR currently surpass diseases, such as HIV and malaria, making it one of the biggest threats to human health.

Presenter: Sneha Das

Our goal is that participants will:

• Know how microbes develop resistance to antibiotics.
• Know why AMR is a problem.
• Understand ways this can be prevented and controlled.

April 20: How Being Too Informed is Hurting the Health of the World

We live in a world where most of today's information has become easily accessible and overly shared online. A recent study found that more than 70% of its participants agreed that one must consume enormous amounts of information to become successful, and technology is the key to gaining access. Could information fatigue syndrome be this generation's adaptation of analysis paralysis? Are differing information choices vital to remaining informed, or can they be considered harmful to a person's ability to retain messages and make conscious health decisions? Do members of television, radio, and the media in general help with accountability of the information they choose to share?

Presenter: Erica Noel

Participants will:

• Learn about information fatigue syndrome and how it lends to unhappy work culture and disregard for healthy home life.
• Understand how your thoughts and the information you recall can be leading you down the path of insomnia, impaired cognitive function, and deteriorating immune health.
• Learn how to control the information you consume and how you can become a conscious sharer.

April 27: The Impact of Cutting Physical Activity Opportunities in Schools

In the past two decades, particularly after the No Child Left Behind Act was passed, many school systems have made cuts to subjects that are not part of regular standardized testing (i.e. arts/music, physical ed., recess). This was done to allow for more time in the classroom to focus on math, English, and science. But is it paying off? Learn how physical activity became part of the school day; the impact of physical ed. cuts on children's academic success; and how teachers, school administrators, policymakers, and parents can increase children's access to physical activity opportunities.

Presenter: Shelby Keye

Participants will:

• Know the history and trends of physical activity opportunities in schools.
• Understand how PE/recess cuts are detrimental to children's physical and cognitive health, and academic abilities.
• Learn ways teachers, school administrators, policy makers, and parents can increase physical activity in schools, and at home to optimize positive benefits for children.

May 4: Influence of Hedonic Eating on Mood and Emotions         

Why do we eat? It's evident that food provides us with essential nutrients for the proper functioning of the body, but, have you wondered if the act of eating is more than that? Do your emotions influence your food choices and intake or vice versa?

Presenter: Rhea Sarma

This workshop will:

• Explain the concept of hedonic eating.
• Outline the motivation behind eating and brain neural networks working behind it.
• Explain the influence energy dense foods have on mood and its regulation.