Free event spotlights medical research in Iowa

(Des Moines, IA) – If current medical and health care research interests you, plan to attend the fourth annual Des Moines University Student Research Symposium on April 5.
Des Moines University (DMU) will host the symposium from 6 to 9 p.m. in the Olsen Medical Education Center, 3200 Grand Avenue. The event is free and the public is invited. Dinner will even be provided to the first 100 guests.
The symposium is sponsored by DMU’s Oncology Club and the Student Osteopathic Medical Association and is designed to emphasize the importance of medical research, promote health care awareness and advance the field of osteopathic medicine.
“Research can be a lifelong pursuit from undergraduate studies through medical training, culminating in clinically-oriented research,” explained Brian Aebly, symposium organizer and D.O. student. “Des Moines University offers wonderful opportunities to conduct research with talented faculty. We want the community to know about our programs and benefit from them.”
Presentations will be given on topics such as physical therapy, biology, biochemistry, microbiology and cancer. In addition to DMU students, presenters may include physicians from Mercy Medical Center and students from Drake University, Iowa State, Central College, Simpson College, Creighton University and Grand View College. DMU students hope attendance from other institutions fosters an environment of camaraderie within the Iowa research field.
Henry Lynch, M.D., director of Creighton University’s Hereditary Cancer Institute, is the keynote speaker and will present, ‘Hereditary colon cancer: Update on the Lynch Syndrome.’
Dr. Lynch has published more than 700 peer-reviewed papers and edited more than a dozen books related to the diagnosis, prevention, counseling and treatment of hereditary disorders, primarily cancer. As one of the first to consider that cancer could be hereditary, he developed some of today’s fundamental principles in the world of cancer research. Lynch syndrome, a rare inherited disorder predisposing people to certain types of cancer, was named after Dr. Lynch for his work on researching inherited cancers.
“Dr. Lynch is a world-class researcher and pioneer in hereditary cancer. We are privileged to have him speak on our campus.” Aebly said.
Reservations are not needed. For more information, contact the DMU Research Department at 515.271.1445.