Exploring the nuances and breadth of biomedical science

Health & Science Horizons at Santa Clara University is a series of events designed to enrich student, faculty, and community understanding of modern healthcare topics. Boasting dynamic and eminent speakers, the series features interdisciplinary programs aimed at inspiring an intellectual dialogue across campus and in our community. Health & Science Horizons brings out the best of a Jesuit education, reflecting Santa Clara’s institutional commitment to the pursuit of informed ethical discourse.

Health & Science Horizons is presented in partnership with the Gerald and Sally DeNardo Lectureship, the Markkula Center for Applied Ethics, OLLI@SCU, and SCU Presents.

Dena Dubal, M.D., Ph.D.

Tuesday, April 21
7:30 p.m.
Music Recital Hall
Reservations are required, free

Gerald and Sally DeNardo Lectureship: "Longevity and the Aging Brain." Dr. Dena Dubal is a neurologist and neuroscientist passionate about biomedical discoveries to improve human health. Her graduate research focused on effects of hormones on stroke injury. Dr. Dubal now leads a team unraveling how to slow or block aging of the body and brain. Using synergistic and cutting-edge approaches, her lab is investigating how an anti-aging approach holds promise in developing treatments to improve brain health in normal aging and disease. Director, Laboratory of Neuroscience & Aging, University of California-San Francisco, Dr. Dubal received her M.D. and Ph.D. degrees from the University of Kentucky College of Medicine. Awards and honors include the Elizabeth Young New Investigator Award, Paul Beeson Career Development Award through the NIA and American Federation for Aging Research, the Glenn Award for Basic Research in Mechanisms of Aging, and the UCSF David A. Coulter Endowed Chair in Aging and Neurodegenerative Disease.

Turning Silver into Gold

Thursday, April 23
12 noon
Wiegand Room
Vari Hall, free

DeNardo Dialogue: Mary Furlong, Ed.D., Executive Professor of Entrepreneurship at Santa Clara University, will talk about innovation and entrepreneurship for the 50 plus audience: who is designing product and services and what are the business opportunities? An expert in the fields of aging and technology, Dr. Furlong is founder of three companies that benefit seniors: SeniorNet.org in 1986, ThirdAge.com in 1996 and Mary Furlong & Associates (MFA) in 2002.

Compassion and the Challenge of Caregiving

Tuesday, May 12
12:00 noon
Sobrato B & C, free

Ethics at Noon: Our lives change dramatically when illness or disability strikes those we love most and we are suddenly cast in the role of caregiver. Now happening at an alarmingly increasing rate for Americans, this crisis in caregiving presents enormous ethical and policy implications. One of the key considerations in debates on these issues is the impact of informal caregiving on the health of the caregiver. The dominant research findings show that informal caregiving is strongly associated with negative health effects for the caregiver. That is now being challenged by new research findings highlighting many of the positive aspects of providing care to a loved one. We will discuss these recent findings and their relation to what we know about the psychology of compassion, both for self and others. Dale Larson, Professor, Counseling Psychology, Santa Clara University.

Still Alice

Thursday, May 21
4 p.m. Reception, 4:45 p.m. Program
Music Recital Hall
Reservations required, free

The Art of Science: Winning an Academy Award for Best Actress, Julianne Moore portrays linguistics professor Dr. Alice Howland as her family finds their bonds tested when, at the age of 50, she is diagnosed with early onset familial Alzheimer's Disease. Her struggle to stay connected to who she once was is frightening, heartbreaking, and inspiring. Still Alice (101 minutes) is a Sony Classics film. Talkback immediately following the film with a panel featuring Santa Clara faculty and community professionals. This program is co-sponsored by the Osher Lifelong Learning Institute and the Santa Clara University Gerontology Program.

If you have a disability and require a reasonable accommodation, please call Marie Brancati at 408-554-2301 (voice) or 1-800-735-2929 (TTY-California Relay) at least 72 hours prior to the event.