UConn Health Pulse

Colon Cancer, Nuts, and Early Onset

Dr. Daniel Rosenberg, professor of medicine, Health Net Inc. Chair in Cancer Biology, and investigator in UConn Health's Center for Molecular Oncology, is on the trail of the connection between our digestive system's microbiome and colon cancer. His research has shown how walnut consumption can impact gut bacteria in a way that seems to fight off inflammation in some people. He's also investigating why colon cancers are turning up more in younger people, in their 40s and even 30s.

(March 2022, Daniel Rosenberg, Carolyn Pennington, Chris DeFrancesco)

Daniel W. Rosenberg, Ph.D., faculty profile
https://facultydirectory.uchc.edu/profile?profileId=Rosenberg-Daniel

UConn Health Center for Molecular Oncology
https://health.uconn.edu/molecular-oncology/

Walnut study
https://starr.uchc.edu/Study/StudyDetails.aspx?ID=1796
gajewska@uchc.edu, pappleton@uchc.edu

Peanut study
https://starr.uchc.edu/Study/StudyDetails.aspx?ID=1704
nfan@uchc.edu

Masako Nakanishi, Ph.D., Center for Molecular Oncology
https://facultydirectory.uchc.edu/profile?profileId=Nakanishi-Masako

John Birk, MD, chief, UConn Health Division of Gastroenterology
https://facultydirectory.uchc.edu/profile?profileId=Birk-John

Haleh Vaziri, MD, UConn Health gastrotenterologist
https://facultydirectory.uchc.edu/profile?profileId=Vaziri-Haleh

George Weinstock, Ph.D., The Jackson Laboratory for Genomic Medicine
https://facultydirectory.uchc.edu/profile?profileId=Weinstock-George

Best Ways to Treat the Feet

Our feet and ankles are among the most commonly injured parts of our body. There's a wide range of problems, and thankfully, with the right experts, a wide range of treatment options. Dr. Lauren Geaney, UConn Health foot and ankle surgeon and director of UConn's orthopedic surgery residency program, describes some of the advances in addressing both common and complex problems. She also discusses her role in educating tomorrow's orthopedic surgeons, including a narrowing gender gap in the specialty, and shares news of a recent development in UConn's orthopedic surgery training.

(Dr. Lauren Geaney, Carolyn Pennington, Chris DeFrancesco, January 2022)

UConn Health Orhopedics and Sports Medicine
https://health.uconn.edu/orthopedics-sports-medicine/

Stroke and the Need to BE FAST

When it comes to treating stroke, initiating care ASAP, especially at a certified stroke center, can greatly improve the trajectory for survival and recovery. Regulatory bodies and other third parties have taken note of the stoke care at UConn Health, which has maintained the distinction of "primary stroke center" from The Joint Commission since first earning it in 2014. This month, two of the nurses behind the UConn Health Stroke Center's success, Jennifer Sposito (clinical coordinator) and Brooke Medel (patient navigator) describe what makes UConn Health so effective at stroke care and tell you what you need to watch for in order to BE FAST, act quickly, and recognize this medical emergency.

(Jennifer Sposito, Brooke Medel, Carolyn Pennington, Chris DeFrancesco, December 2021)

UConn Health Stroke Center
https://health.uconn.edu/stroke-center/

UConn Health Stroke Survivor Group
https://health.uconn.edu/stroke-center/events-and-programs/

Video: Stroke Survivor Returns for Promised Dance With His Nurse
https://youtu.be/V6tD8RO_0SE

 

Elite Expertise in Brain and Spine Disorders

The UConn Health Brain and Spine Institute, an elite collaboration of experts in areas including neurology, neurosurgery, neuro-radiology, and comprehensive spine, continues to grow. Two of its members, Dr. John Greenfield, neurology chair, and Dr. Ian McNeill, neurosurgeon who specializes in spine abnormalities and disorders, describe how this high level of coordinated care ensures patients who've suffered from brain tumors, strokes, spine problems, and other disorders of brain and spine are seeing the optimal combination of providers for the best outcomes.

(Dr. John Greenfield, Dr. Ian McNeill, Carolyn Pennington, Chris DeFrancesco, November 2021)

UConn Health Brain and Spine Institute
https://health.uconn.edu/brain-and-spine-institute/
860-679-6551

Enhancing Independence in Older Adults

An elite national research collaborative to shape the future of geriatrics to help older adults maintain their independence now includes UConn Health. The UConn Center on Aging recently won a $7 million grant to become one of 15 "Pepper Centers" of excellence to advance the newer field of precision gerontology. Drs. George Kuchel and Richard Fortinsky from the UConn Center on Aging explain what's involved and why having a Claude D. Pepper Older Americans Independence Center at UConn Health is a win for the institution, the state, the public, and both today's and tomorrow's patients and family members.

(Dr. George Kuchel, Dr. Richard Fortinsky, Carolyn Pennington, Chris DeFrancesco, October 2021)

UConn Center on Aging
https://health.uconn.edu/aging/
860-679-3956

Pepper Center grant announcement
https://today.uconn.edu/?p=176121

 

 

COVID and Older Adults‘ Resiliency

Perhaps the pandemic hasn't been as hard -- from a mental health perspective -- on older adults has we first feared it might? In fact, we have reason to believe older adults have coped as well as any other age group, or perhaps more so. Dr. David Steffens, UConn Health chair of psychiatry and geriatric psychiatrist, and second-year UConn medical student Tia Kozar have been studying this, and what they're seeing may surprise you.

(Dr. David Steffens, Tia Kozar, Carolyn Pennington, Chris DeFrancesco, September 2021)

UConn Health Department of Psychiatry
https://health.uconn.edu/psychiatry/

UConn School of Medicine
https://medicine.uconn.edu/

Back to School '21 With COVID-19

Kids and parents alike are sure to have questions as they prepare for a new school year that figures to have the characteristics of pandemic learning at least to start. Dr. Erica Waddington at UConn Health's family medicine practice in Canton offers her perspective on back-to-school time as a physician who sees both parents and kids — sometimes from the same family. 

(Dr. Erica Waddington, Chris DeFrancesco, August 2021)

UConn Health Family Medicine:
https://health.uconn.edu/family-medicine/

 

Play Without Pain, Perform at Peak

This month we're on location at the Horsebarn Hill Sciences Complex in Storrs, talking with the co-directors of the UConn Institute for Sports Medicine. Laurie Devaney, UConn physical therapist and athletic trainer, and Dr. Matt Hall, UConn Health sports medicine physician, explain what they and their colleagues can do for athletes to prevent/reduce injury risk, treat injuries and help them recover, and even use innovative ways to analyze movement to enhance performance.

(July 2021, Laurie Devaney, Dr. Matt Hall, Chris DeFrancesco)

https://sports.institute.uconn.edu/

Promoting Interprofessional Learning

Within the Connecticut Area Health Education Center (CT AHEC), housed at UConn Health, students in the Urban Service Track/AHEC Scholars Program not only are learning an interprofessional method of delivering care. These Urban Health/AHEC Scholars also are spreading awareness of this evolving approach to health professions training and patient care. UConn dental student Basant Sallam, UConn nursing student Donice "Nicey" Brooks, and UConn graduate public health and social work program alum Michal Klau-Stevens discuss the Urban Service Track/AHEC Scholars Program's objectives and their role in promoting it with the student-run podcast series "Urban Service Talks," which just debuted.

(Nicey Brooks, Michal Klau-Stevens, Basant Sallam, Chris DeFrancesco, June 2021)

Listen and subscribe to "Urban Service Talks": https://health.uconn.edu/connecticut-area-health-education-center-network/urban-services-track-and-ahec-scholars/urban-service-talks/

Urban Service Track/AHEC Scholars Program: https://health.uconn.edu/connecticut-area-health-education-center-network/urban-services-track-and-ahec-scholars/

CT Area Health Education Center: https://health.uconn.edu/connecticut-area-health-education-center-network/

Connect with "Urban Service Talks":

• Twitter @TalksService
• Instagram @urbanservicetalks
• Email ust.pod@gmail.com

 

Teens, Screens, and Anxiety/Depression

Smartphone use is a big part of our lives, and the pandemic has magnified that, particularly for teens and adolescents. What effect could all that screen time have on these younger, still developing brains? Dr. Jayesh Kamath from UConn Health's mood and anxiety disorders program joins Carolyn and Chris to discuss his research in the area, including how some preliminary findings could help inform the evolution of the approach treating anxiety and depression.

(Dr. Jayesh Kamath, Carolyn Pennington, Chris DeFrancesco, May 2021)

https://health.uconn.edu/psychiatry/mood-and-anxiety-clinic/