Medical briefs: Sunday July 13, 2008

Published: July 13, 2008

The Oklahoma chapter of the Huntington's Disease Society of America is honoring Oklahoma City civic leaders during its annual Celebration of Hope Gala on Aug. 2 at the Oklahoma City Petroleum Club.

Honorees are: Dr. Joseph Ferretti, senior vice president and provost of the University of Oklahoma Health Sciences Center; Bill Frankfurt, president of Frankfurt Short Bruza;and the Jack Milner family for its struggle to care for its teenage daughter who has a rare form of Juvenile Huntington's Disease.

An estimated 15,000 Oklahomans are affected by the disease.

Tickets are $125. To buy tickets, make a tax-deductible donation, or for more information about Huntington's disease, call 623-3871.

Three researchers studying tobacco use and lung-cancer prevention in Oklahoma are the recipients of 2008 seed grants from the University of Oklahoma Cancer Institute and the state's new Oklahoma Tobacco Research Center.

The grants, which total more than $150,000, are intended to provide startup money to help researchers start potentially promising projects that have yet to receive major funding from organizations such as the National Institutes of Health. Recipients are:

Cecil Lewis, assistant professor of anthropology at OU's Norman campus.

His research is designed to improve understanding of the genetic architecture of lung cancer risk in individuals with African ancestry, paying particular attention to the metabolism of nicotine.

Dewey Scheid, associate professor of family and preventive medicine at the OU Health Sciences Center.

His study will examine factors associated with long-term abstinence from tobacco use.

Research hopes to determine factors for successful long-term abstinence.

Ramanjulu Sunkar, assistant professor of biochemistry and molecular biology at Oklahoma State University. Research hopes to find new targets of cancer therapy.

For more information on the projects, go online to www.ouhsc.edu/otrc.

AARP Oklahoma is bringing together tribal leaders from across the state and nation to help members of Oklahoma's 37 federally recognized tribes to discuss Indian health matters and long-term financial security.

The event — part of AARP's "Divided We Fail” movement — will begin at 1 p.m. Aug. 19, at the Coleman Theatre in Miami. A panel discussion featuring tribal government leaders, Indian health leaders and financial experts will discuss how to provide quality, affordable health care and financial security to all American Indians.

Traci McClellan, National Indian Council on Aging executive director, will deliver the keynote address following the panel discussion.

The event is free and tribal members are encouraged to attend. Reservations are being accepted at (877) 926-8300, and it's open to the public at the door.

Compiled by Staff Writers Jessica Jackson and Jim Killackey

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