Research Study: Clinical Evaluation of mTORC1 Inhibition for Geroprotection Everolimus Aging Study (EVERLAST),  Principal Investigator: Adam R. Konopka, Ph. D.

As people age, their risk for developing chronic diseases and conditions increases. The goal of this study is to determine if taking the drug everolimus can help improve or maintain health as we age. We are recruiting insulin resistant or pre-diabetic adults to participate in the EVERLAST study.

You may qualify to participate if you meet the following criteria:

• Are between the ages of 55-80 years old
• Insulin Resistant: HOMA-IR  ≥ 1.5
• Higher than normal blood sugar (100-125 mg/dL) or HbA1c (5.7-6.4%) but are otherwise healthy
• Are not taking medications to lower glucose or that prolong bleeding

Volunteers will complete a medical screening visit (for free). Those with known heart/liver/kidney disease, diabetes, bleeding disorders, cancer or other major illnesses do not qualify for the study.

Once enrolled in the study, participants will:  

• Take the drug everolimus or placebo once daily and once weekly for 24 weeks
• Be monitored regularly before, during, and after the study
• Receive several health and research tests, including exercise testing, blood and muscle sampling, heart and brain imaging, glucose testing and a body composition scan
• Receive compensation up to $2000 for your time

All study activities have received authorization by the FDA and IRB as required for research with investigational drugs.

Unsure if you fit these criteria? Interested in participating or learning more? Contact the study team at everlast@medicine.wisc.edu! We can help identify if you may be eligible and answer any questions.

Funding for the research is provided by National Institute on Aging (U01AG076941) to principal investigator Adam R. Konopka, PhD in the Department of Medicine, Division of Geriatrics.

All programs will be held in Varsity Hall at Union South. Each luncheon begins at 11:45am and ends by 1:00pm. The cost for each lunch is $15.

Here is this semester's program:

Tuesday, October 17

How the Arts Can Save Education: Transforming Teaching, Learning, and Instruction with Erica Halverson

Education is in a time of profound change; the arts offer us a way to reimagine what good learning and teaching are and how to design learning environments for all kids. In this talk, Dr. Erica Halverson, Professor of Curriculum & Instruction, describes how the arts can save education by providing new models for learning that embrace the assets that kids bring to the classroom. She uses her own arts organization, Whoopensocker, as a model for how to reframe learning as acts of metacognitive representation, identity development, and collaboration—and lots and lots of joy.

Registration Deadline: October 2

Registration Link: https://go.wisc.edu/55eclb

Tuesday, November 7

UW MIA Recovery and Identification Project with Charles Konsitzke

The UW MIA Recovery and Identification Project, developed within the UW Biotechnology Center, is a mission to investigate, innovate, and recover our missing State of Wisconsin service members from conflicts spanning from WWII and on. Charles Konsitzke, Team Lead, will discuss how the Project is advancing biological tools that are enhancing and revolutionizing the process for recovering and identifying our missing service members as well as the missing in general.

Registration Deadline: October 23

Registration Link: https://go.wisc.edu/lk9oh5

Wednesday, December 20

Teaching Faculty in the School of Pharmacy, with Dr. Laurel Legenza,

More information will be sent soon!

Registration Deadline: December 5

Registration Link: https://go.wisc.edu/x7mbxm

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Further information can be found at https://acstaff.wisc.edu/programs/university-roundtable/. 

We’re kicking off a yearlong celebration of UW–Madison’s 175th anniversary with an evening of music, memories, and a few surprises—including fireworks over Lake Mendota! (Because when it’s your 175th, you can light more than just candles!)

Please visit 175.wisc.edu/launch-celebration for full details. This event is free to attend, no registration needed.

Mark your calendar now!

Craig Atwood, PhD, is conducting a research study at the University of Wisconsin-Madison Department of Medicine to see if the drug Eligard (leuprolide acetate) may be effective against Alzheimer’s disease in women.

Have you or a loved one been diagnosed with Mild Cognitive Impairment or Alzheimer’s Disease? This study is open to women over the age of 65 diagnosed with Alzheimer’s Disease who are taking a stable dose of a cholinesterase inhibitor medication such as donepezil (Aricept). Participants must also have a study partner (friend or family member) who can accompany them to all study visits.

Study Activities: Our study team will ask you to complete eight study visits spread out over one year.

• There will be an injection of the study drug (Leuprolide or placebo) four times over the one-year study
• Study visits will include tests of thinking abilities, blood tests, two MRI scans, and one PET scan
• Some parts of some visits may be done remotely via phone, computer, or other electronic means

compensation: For participating in our study, participants will be paid $50 for each completed study visit and you may be eligible to be reimbursed for travel costs depending on the distance traveled.

Interested?    You can fill out the interest form here: Study Interest Form

You can also call, text, email, or visit our website for more information:

608-263-2704 | mchilsen@clinicaltrials.wisc.edu | LUCINDA

A study team from the UW Department of Emergency Medicine is looking for healthy adults, age 60+ to participate in a research study about blood troponin levels in healthy adults. We are specifically seeking adults who do not have a history of stroke, heart attack, TIA, cancer, lung disease, autoimmune disease, or are a current user of tobacco products.  You are not eligible for this study if you take medicine to lower your cholesterol or are being treated for a heart condition. 

This study includes a single 20 minute visit where the following activities will occur: (1) measurement of vital signs (weight, height, blood pressure, pulse ox), (2) collection of a blood sample, and (3) use of a watch-like device for 3 minutes.

Adults who complete the study activities will receive a $40 gift card.

If you are interested in participating, please send an email to edrc@medicine.wisc.edu.

Email is generally not a secure way to communicate sensitive or health related information as there are many ways for unauthorized users to access email. You should avoid sending sensitive, detailed personal information by email. Email should also not be used to convey information of an urgent nature. If you need to talk to someone immediately or would prefer not to receive study communication by email, email the study team at edrc@medicine.wisc.edu.

Friends of UW-Madison Libraries Sifting & Reckoning Tour & Talk December 1, 2022 Tour the exhibition, then debrief and learn how UW Archives supported its success

Through extensive research, oral histories, and rare documents and objects from the UW–Madison Archives, the Sifting & Reckoning exhibition at the Chazen unveils over 175 years of UW–Madison history. The experiences of students, staff, and faculty who have persevered in spite of exclusion are highlighted as they never have been before.

3:00 P.M. Chazen Museum of Art

The Friends of UW-Madison Libraries invite you to meet us at the Chazen at 3 P.M. on December 1 to go through the Sifting & Reckoning exhibition together. This self-guided group tour will provide the foundation for the discussion to follow. Did you visit earlier this fall? Simply join us for the discussion which follows at 4 P.M. at Memorial Library, Room 126. Led by staff intimately involved with this project, you will have the opportunity to process what you learned and ask questions.

4:00 P.M. Memorial Library, Room 126

Join us for the panel-led discussion of the Sifting & Reckoning exhibition. Because much of the content used in the exhibition was discovered within the archives, these panelists are uniquely qualified to describe what it takes to support a project of this scope. Panelists include Kacie Lucchini Butcher (Director of the Public History Project), Lisa Carter (Vice Provost for Libraries), Katie Nash (Head of UW Archives), and Troy Reeves (Head of Oral History)

R.S.V.P. for an email reminder and/or a link the recording (to be made available after the event): https://go.wisc.edu/xe6ndl

The Aging of Brain and Cognition Post Stroke (ABC-PS) study, at UW-Madison, is looking for healthy individuals, 55 years and older, to participate as controls in a new study.  

The goal of this research is to help us better understand brain and cognitive aging after a stroke.

Your participation in the study may involve one study visit lasting up to 3 hours and involve neuropsychological testing, and MR scanning of your brain.

Each neuropsychological testing session (approximately 2 hours) will involve

•    paper/pencil and computerized tasks

•    questionnaires    

All participants may be compensated up to $300.00 for their time, upon completion of all study procedures. If travelling from a distance greater than 40 miles round trip from UW Madison, we will assist with travel costs.

The research will be performed at the facilities of UW-Madison under the direction of the PI, Dr. Veena Nair. Please email the research coordinators at abcps@rad.wisc.edu or call 608-287-4400 if you are interested in participating in this research.

Sincerely,

Dr. Veena Nair, PhD

UW School of Medicine and Public Health

Department of Radiology

Consider registering for a special program, offered in partnership with Wisconsin Health Literacy and Sharing Active Independent Lives—SAIL. Toolkit for Caregivers: Strategies for Communicating with Health Care Providers and Your Loved One is a free 60-minute workshop designed to assist participants to learn communication and support strategies that improve health care and caregiving for older adults.

In this interactive workshop, you will learn:

• Strategies to improve medication management and safety
• Communication strategies to make the most of doctor's appointments
• Plain language strategies to improve communication with your loved one
• Special considerations for those with dementia and Alzheimer's disease.

Friday, July 15, 1:00 p.m., Nakoma/Westmorland Room, Oakwood Retirement Community, University Woods

To register: email info@sailtoday.org or call 608-230-4321 by 7/8/22

Researchers from the UW Departments of Radiology and Medical Physics are collaborating on a research study to develop a new type of noninvasive imaging system based on a new form of ultrasound imaging—normal and shear strain imaging that uses sound waves to image blood vessels in the neck (carotid artery). Your participation in this research study may benefit other people in the future by helping us learn more about early detection of vulnerable carotid plaque and artery stiffness. Participation in this study is voluntary and will be performed at the Wisconsin Institutes for Medical Research (WIMR).

WHO IS ELIGIBLE?

Adults 18 years or older. The research study will enroll 280 adult volunteers, with approximately 40 volunteers in each age decade.

WHAT IS REQUIRED?

If you agree to participate, you will be asked to complete up to 2 research visits lasting about 2 hours and will include:

• Ultrasound imaging of your carotid artery lasting approximately 90 minutes
• Fasting blood test (a separate visit may be completed within 1 week of the US imaging session and will last approximately 30 minutes)
• Measurements of your blood pressure

$100 compensation for your time

If you are interested in learning more about our research, please contact the study team at strainimagingstudy@rad.wisc.edu. This research has been approved by the University of Wisconsin IRB under the direction of Dr. Tomy Varghese. Additionally, please feel free to share this invitation with anyone you know who may be interested!

Dr. Nasia Safdar is leading a study to learn more about how the influenza virus evolves from year to year and assess people’s immunity to influenza strains. The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention has requested that we conduct a study assessing people’s immunity to influenza in a nationwide study.

The SAFE Study is seeking participants of all ages to complete either a one-time blood draw and survey or enroll into a multi-year study with 2 blood draws per year for three years. Compensation up to $210 may be available for full study participation.

If you are interested in participating or have any questions, please contact safe@medicine.wisc.edu.