Saturday, October 7, 2023

Eric P. Newman Education Center (EPNEC), Medical School Campus

Embarking on a profound exploration, this plenary session on Global Health Challenges delves into the crucial issues that profoundly impact the well-being of communities worldwide. As part of the McDonnell Academy Global Research Symposium, we bring together distinguished experts and passionate advocates who are dedicated to understanding and addressing the complex health challenges we face. From infectious diseases to health disparities and from healthcare access to mental well-being, this session serves as a platform to explore innovative solutions and forge collaborations that can advance global health equity and resilience. United in our mission, we work together to build a healthier future for everyone.

Plenary SessionGlobal Health ChallengesLocation
7:00amRegistration & Continental BreakfastEPNEC Foyer
7:50 – 8:00amWelcome Remarks & Introductions
Laura Benoist, Director, McDonnell International Scholars Academy
EPNEC Auditorium
8:00 – 10:30amMODERATOR
Mark Huffman, School Medicine, Washington University in St. Louis

RESEARCH PROJECT PRESENTATIONS (8:05 – 9:45)

Enhancing medical genetic services and family counseling for Alzheimer’s disease in Latin America
Jorge Llibre Guerra, Washington University in St. Louis
Marisol Londoño Castaño, University of Antioquia

Testing an association between nutrition during pregnancy, human milk composition, and infant brain development during the first three months of life in a low resource community in El Quinche, Ecuador

Lora Iannotti, Washington University in St. Louis
Iván Tomás Palacios León and Gabriela Vintimilla Andrade, Universidad San Francisco de Quito

Building Capacity in HIV Cure Research, Antimicrobial Stewardship and Infection Prevention in Ghana
George Kyei, Washington University in St. Louis
Evelyn Yayra Bonney, University of Ghana

Does Politics Make You Sick: Examining the Influence of Political Ideology on COVID-19 Mitigation Across The Americas
Guillermo Rosas, Washington University in St. Louis
Sebastián Vallejo Vera, University of Western Ontario

Characterize the infant nasal microbiome in on a global scale
Leyao Wang
, Washington University St. Louis
Beatrice Irene Nyann, University of Ghana
Professor Christiana Kuti, University of Ghana

PANEL DISCUSSION and AUDIENCE Q&A (9:45 – 10:30)
10:30 – 11:00amBreakEPNEC Foyer
Review full schedule and please check back often for updates.

Global Research Symposium Workshops: Global Health

Please check back often for updates to available workshops and registration.

The faculty-driven workshops at our symposium offer a unique opportunity for participants to dive deep into specialized topics, guided by renowned experts in their respective fields. These workshops are designed to foster interactive learning, facilitate skill development, and encourage meaningful dialogue among attendees. Join us as we embark on an enriching journey of discovery and growth through our faculty-driven workshops.

Saturday, October 7, 2023 | 2:00 – 4:00 PM

All workshops will be hosted at the Eric P. Newman Education (EPNEC) Center at Washington University School of Medicine.
Designing and testing nutrition interventions in global health research

Led by: Prof. Lora Ianotti, Brown School, Washington University in St. Louis, Prof. Iván Tomás Palacios León, and Prof. Gabriela Vintimilla Andrade, Universidad San Francisco de Quito

Malnutrition in the first 1,000 days of life contributes disproportionately to global burden of disease. Over 148.1 million (22%) children around the world experience stunted growth with life-long consequences for immune function, brain development, reproductive health, educational attainment, and livelihoods. This workshop will introduce strategies for designing and testing interventions to prevent malnutrition in this critical window of the life course. Workshop objectives are the following: 1) describe the stages of intervention research development; 2) introduce standard and novel methods in public health nutrition (anthropometry, dietary assessment, biomarkers); 3) provide the rationale and basic approaches to social marketing using case examples from Haiti, Ecuador, and Kenya; and 4) discuss and debate controversial and future nutrition topic areas (animal source foods, climate change/food systems, brain imaging, etc.). The workshop will accommodate up to 50 people.

Adults and Aging Society: A Roundtable

Led by: Prof. Nancy Morrow-Howell and Natalie Galucia, Harvey A. Friedman Center for Aging, Washington University in St. Louis

This roundtable discussion will center on issues of population aging. It will offer an opportunity to share our interests and current work for the purpose of learning from each other and exploring new partnerships and resources.