This content was published: November 18, 2010. Phone numbers, email addresses, and other information may have changed.
OHSU Researcher to Speak at Cascade Nov. 19
Photos and story by Abe Proctor
Dr. Kent L. Thornburg, director of the Heart Research Center at Oregon Health and Science University, will speak at Cascade Campus Nov. 19 on the link between maternal and childhood nutrition and the onset of diseases later in life. Dr. Thornburg’s lecture starts at 12:30 p.m. in the Moriarty Auditorium, and will be preceded by a noon screening of the documentary film “When the Bough Breaks,” which explores the reasons behind the high infant mortality rate in the African American community.
Thornburg will connect the latest research on maternal and childhood nutrition with vulnerabilities for adult onset diseases like cardiovascular disease, diabetes and cancer in the next generation. This is powerful and compelling new research that brings a new sense of urgency to our understanding of health and wellness.
Thornburg received his doctorate in developmental physiology, and in his postdoctoral years studied medical science, cardiovascular physiology and molecular biology. In addition to serving as director of Oregon Health and Science University’s Heart Research Center, he holds the M. Lowell Edwards Chair in the OHSU’s Department of Medicine and serves as Associate Chief of Cardiovascular Medicine and Director of Research.
Thornburg has served on numerous study sections and advisory boards at the National Institutes of Health, and has lead clinical studies designed to determine the role of maternal diet and body in regulating fetal growth in women of Oregon. He has published more than 125 papers on pregnancy and fetal development.