Contemporary Issues Forum (CIF) featuring Dr. Kenneth S. Kosik
Alzheimer’s disease strikes at the core of what makes us human: our capacity to think, to love, and to remember. The disease ravages the minds of over 40 million victims worldwide, and it is one of the greatest medical mysteries of our time.
On May 7, the Contemporary Issues Forum will feature renowned neuroscientist Dr. Kenneth Kosik, the Harriman Professor of Neuroscience Research and co-director of the Neuroscience Research Institute at UC Santa Barbara.
Dr. Kosik and his team of researchers are investigating the genetic origins of Alzheimer’s by tracing the movement of the disease through the centuries and around the globe. A major focus of his lab is to understand the mechanisms of human age-related dementia in its several forms, and to develop preventative and therapeutic interventions.
According to Dr. Kosik, your risk for Alzheimer’s disease depends, in part, on the decisions you make every day—about what to eat for lunch, whether to hit the gym on the way home and how you choose to relax. But there is no one-size-fits-all approach because everyone’s risk factors are different. Your family history, current state of health, and lifestyle are all important ingredients that help determine the best brain health recipe for you.
Join us on Tuesday, May 7 to learn why Dr. Kosik believes that UCSB researchers now stand on the cusp of some very significant discoveries.
Kenneth Kosik, M.D. has garnered awards from MIT, Harvard Medical School, the Alzheimer’s Association, the American Association of Neuropathologists, NASA and the American Association for the Advancement of Science. He has co-author two books and his work has appeared in the New York Times, the Wall Street Journal, and the New Yorker, as well as on BBC and CNN, in the NOVA documentary “Can Alzheimer’s Be Stopped?” and on “60 Minutes.”
Explore these articles to learn more about Dr. Kosik’s important work:
A peek inside the quickening race to understand, treat — and even cure — Alzheimer’s disease.
Assessing Your Alzheimer’s Risk
https://thewomensalzheimersmovement.org/alzheimers-risk-kenneth-kosik/
The Neuroarchaeologist | Alumnus Kenneth Kosik’s analysis of a unique family’s genes may point the way to a better understanding of Alzheimer’s disease
https://case.edu/think/spring2021/the-neuroarchaeologist.html
The Contemporary Issues Forum promotes understanding, enlightenment, and engagement on complex societal, technological, political, and economic issues that shape our world. It is designed to build our understanding of the underlying factors and global context that define the current state of affairs. It also seeks to explore strategies to overcome challenges to progress and achieve productive outcomes.
We meet on the second Wednesday of every month from September to July in Parish Hall from 7:00 to 9:00 PM. All are welcome!