The University of Arkansas at Little Rock is offering a new seminar series giving people a unique experience to hear from those working to improve human health from both the clinical and research perspective.

The UA Little Rock STEM Education Center, in partnership with the University of Arkansas for Medical Sciences, has started the Friends of Medicine 2019 seminar series. One research guest and one clinical guest are invited to share their story for 20 minutes followed by a question-and-answer session.

The next session, “Studying the Brain,” will begin at 4 p.m. Wednesday, April 10, at Fribourgh Hall room 102. Dr. Antiño Recio Allen, assistant professor in the College of Pharmacy at UAMS, will talk about research on the effects of space radiation on cognition and brain physiology. Next, Dr. Analiz Rodriguez, director of neurosurgical oncology at UAMS, will inform the crowded on cutting-edge treatments for brain cancer.

The April 17 seminar will feature Dr. Jason Stumhofer, associate professor at UAMS, who will give a presentation on Malaria-related immune cell response and memory. His lecture partner, Dr. Brandy Utter, a family physician at Conway Regional Medical Center, will discuss how hospitals guide patient care.

The final seminar on April 24 will feature Dr. Roger Pechous, assistant professor at UAMS, who will reveal what scientists can learn from studying the Plague. Additionally, Dr. Steven Cherney, orthopedic surgeon at UAMS, will discuss how research in clinical orthopedic trauma surgery can lead to improved patient outcomes.

The seminar series began on March 27 with a lecture on ovarian cancer. Dr. Jia Liu, assistant professor at UAMS, detailed how viruses are used to treat ovarian cancer, while Stephanie Carper, a former UA Little Rock employee, spoke about her journey from diagnosis to surviving ovarian cancer.

During an April 1 session on public health, Dr. Chris Hopkinson, a primary care physician with an interest in community healthcare, talked about an international perspective on healthcare from an English physician. Meanwhile, Dr. Tiffany Weinkopff, assistant professor at UAMS, spoke about research on infectious diseases, parasites, and the immune system.

All seminars are held from 4-5:30 p.m. in Fribourgh Hall Room 102. Fill out the online form to RSVP for an upcoming seminar.