COVID-19 Update: March 22, 2020 This is a daily joint communication from the Sangamon County Department of Public Health along with Memorial Health System, HSHS St. John’s Hospital, Springfield Clinic and SIU Med-icine updating you on the status of coronavirus (COVID-19) in Sangamon County. This commu-nication will come at approximately 6 p.m. each day as necessary. At the time of this press release, the total number of confirmed cases between our five organiza-tions is four, including one death. Currently, all of the active cases are no longer hospitalized. *These numbers indicate current

Graduate students and research staff from the Department of Pharmacology organized Brain Awareness Day at Franklin Middle School on Friday March 6, 2020. During Brain Awareness Day, students and staff delivered a neuroscience presentation to educate Franklin 8 th grade students on basic brain anatomy and physiology. The Dana Alliance for Brain Initiatives supports this outreach event by providing interactive hand-outs, booklets and pencils. The Department of Pharmacology provides sheep brains to enhance the hands-on learning experience for the 8 th grade students. Pictured: Madhusoodhanan

Idiopathic pulmonary fibrosis (IPF) is a type of lung disease that results in scarring (fibrosis) of the lungs for an unknown reason. Over time, the scarring gets worse and it becomes harder to take deep breaths. The lungs become unable to take in enough oxygen. Dr. Rajagopal Sreedhar is recruiting participants for a clinical trial to see if pulmonary rehabilitation treatments improve the quality of life for patients with IPF. The study will compare standard of care treatment to exercise and education. The goal is test how well the combination of exercise and medication benefits the patient

Southern Illinois University School of Medicine and the Illinois Department of Corrections (IDOC) are partnering to provide health care for individuals at state correctional facilities. “We are eager to offer a new approach to care for our corrections population,” said Rob Jeffreys, acting director of Corrections. “SIU School of Medicine has a reputation for quality medical care and innovation. This new partnership gives us the opportunity to explore a different health care model, one that’s more patient-centered and outcome-based.” SIU’s Office of Correctional Medicine will initially focus on

Family physicians in several Illinois communities are hosting students from Southern Illinois University School of Medicine throughout February. The students are participating in the school’s Family Medicine Preceptorship Program. The experience provides an opportunity for students to use their medical knowledge in a clinic setting under the supervision of an experienced physician. The students choose from more than 160 family practice physicians in Illinois for their preceptorship experience. They will graduate from medical school in May 2021, then pursue advanced training in a specific area

February 4, 2020 WTAX, Erin Hascup, Ph.D., Director Center for Alzheimer's Disease and Related Disorders. Ask the Experts with Memorial Health Systems, Topic: Alzheimer's Disease. https://wtax.com/podcasts/ask-the-expert-with-memorial-health-system-2-…

Area cancer survivor models how life after breast cancer can look

Jan 28, 2020 – Today, the Presidential Leadership Scholars (PLS) program announced that Sameer Vohra, MD, JD, MA, FAAP, Founding Chair of SIU Medicine Department of Population Science and Policy, has been selected as one of the 60 Scholars chosen for the program’s sixth annual class. PLS serves as a catalyst for a diverse network of leaders brought together to collaborate and make a difference in the world as they learn about leadership through the lens of the presidential experiences of George W. Bush, Bill Clinton, George H.W. Bush, and Lyndon B. Johnson. The sixth class was selected after a

Last fall, SIU Medicine hosted a fashion show for Breast Reconstruction Awareness Day. The patients modeled designs of Dana Donofree, who creates bras and clothing for women who have had breast cancer surgery. At our SIU Medicine fashion show featuring local breast cancer survivors, Tami Russell was among the women who showcased the bras from Dana’s line of clothing called AnaOno. This year at New York Fashion Week, Dana has selected breast cancer survivors from across the country to be part of group of models wearing her clothing line. SIU Medicine is sponsoring Tami to be part of this show

Research Seed Grants for Fall 2019 have been awarded for these projects. Congratulations to: Louis Premkumar, PhD , Pharmacology - Proprietary Cream Formulation of Resiniferatoxin to Treat Burn Pain