RICHARDSON, Texas (July 27, 2006) — The Sickle Cell Disease Research Center at The University of Texas at Dallas (UTD) will host a talk by Dr. David Satcher, the 16th Surgeon General of the United States and a former Assistant Secretary for Health, on Thursday, Aug. 24 to help kick off the center’s Sickle Cell Disease Awareness Month activities. The talk, which is free and open to the public, will begin at 4 p.m. in the TI Auditorium of UTD’s Engineering and Computer Science South Building (Room 2.102).

Satcher, who most recently served as interim president of the Morehouse School of Medicine in Atlanta, will discuss the challenging issue of diversity in biomedical research.



Dr. David Satcher

As Surgeon General and Assistant Secretary for Health, Satcher led the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services’ effort to eliminate racial and ethnic disparities in health, an initiative that was incorporated as one of the two major goals of Healthy People 2010, the nation’s health agenda for the next ten years. He also released reports about crucial health care issues, including tobacco and health, mental health, children’s mental health, suicide prevention, youth violence and obesity. Satcher served as Surgeon General from 1998 to 2002 and as Assistant Secretary for Health from 1998 to 2001, making him only the second person in history to have held both positions simultaneously.

A former Robert Wood Johnson Clinical Scholar and Macy Faculty Fellow, Satcher has been the recipient of numerous distinguished awards, including from the American Medical Association and the American Academy for the Advancement of Science. He also has served as director of the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention in Atlanta and president of Meharry Medical College in Nashville, Tenn.

“Dr. Satcher has devoted his entire career to alleviating inequities in the fields of healthcare, science and research,” said Dr. Betty Pace, director of UTD’s Sickle Cell Disease Research Center. “The need for a diverse work force permeates all aspects of the health-related research efforts of our nation and we are excited that Dr. Satcher has consented to update us on the progress made to increase diversity in biomedical research.”

Members of the public are invited to participate in the Sickle Cell Disease Research Center’s efforts to “Discover the Cure” by attending the following events on Aug. 24:

 

  • 4–5 p.m. — Satcher presentation — “Diversity in Biomedical Research” — TI Auditorium, ECS South, Room 2.102

 

  • 7:30–9 p.m. — Dinner/fundraiser for the Sickle Cell Disease Research Center Student Scholarship Fund — $100 per person (sponsorships also available) — UTD Conference Center, Meeting Rooms, 1.206, 1.212

Sickle cell disease is an inherited blood disorder. People with the disease have red blood cells that contain mostly hemoglobin S, an abnormal type of hemoglobin. Sometimes these red blood cells become crescent shaped and have difficulty passing through small blood vessels, leading to a decrease or loss of blood flow. This may lead to tissue damage recurrent pain and other complications. Bone marrow transplantation offers a cure for a limited number of individuals, but there currently is no universal cure. September is National Sickle Cell Disease Awareness Month.

For more information about the seminar or to purchase dinner tickets, contact Rosie Peterson at (972) 883-4159 or rpeterson@utdallas.edu.

About UTD

The University of Texas at Dallas, located at the convergence of Richardson, Plano and Dallas in the heart of the complex of major multinational technology corporations known as the Telecom Corridor®, enrolls nearly 14,500 students. The school’s freshman class traditionally stands at the forefront of Texas state universities in terms of average SAT scores. The university offers a broad assortment of bachelor’s, master’s and doctoral degree programs. For additional information about UTD, please visit the university’s website at www.utdallas.edu.