Vidhya Prakash, MD, has been appointed to the dual position of chief medical officer and associate dean of clinical affairs and population health at SIU Medicine. Prakash will begin her duties on March 1. She joined SIU School of Medicine in 2014 as an assistant professor of internal medicine. She was subsequently promoted to a full professor position. Most recently, she was the Department of Internal Medicine’s vice chair of clinical affairs and chair of the Clinical Competency Committee. Prakash has served the organization in many other positions, including president of the Faculty Council

Sunny Nakae, PhD, offered lessons in empowerment and building skills to “become an ally” at the 2022 Dr. Alonzo Kenniebrew Lecture on February 8. Nakae is senior associate dean for equity, inclusion, diversity and partnership at California University of Science and Medicine. Her virtual talk focused on the importance of allies in combating and correcting injustice and mistreatment in the workplace, institutions and the public sphere. She drew inspiration from her family history. Nakae’s Asian-American grandparents ran a California orchard and were sent to the U.S. internment camps during World

Helping those with memory loss and their caregivers showcase their artistic creativity will continue to thrive thanks to a recent donation. Art Express received a $2,000 donation from the Fat Ass 5K , an event that raises funds for a wide variety of charitable causes in the Springfield, Illinois area. Art Express is one of the Beyond the Medical Center programs hosted by the Dale and Deborah Smith Center for Alzheimer’s Research and Treatment, helping those with Alzheimer’s and related dementia through the therapeutic effects of art expression. Art Express also received a donation in 2019

From caregivers to physicians, researchers to patients and everyone in between, there is an entire community dedicated to helping those with Alzheimer's and related disorders, committed to find ways to slow and stop the progression of the disease. Through Mind Matters, the quarterly newsletter of the Dale and Deborah Smith Center for Alzheimer's Research and Treatment at SIU Medicine, we want to highlight the impactful stories and transformative work being done. We hope you find this newsletter enjoyable and informative. Thank you for reading and for your support!

Farmers know better than anyone the true meaning of the phrase, "you reap what you sow." So, as 2022 gets underway, SIU Medicine encourages Illinois farming families to begin the new year with a positive mindset and outlook. Find some inspiration with these five ideas: 1. Focus on what you can control Weather, the economy, politics, trade policies, rising and falling commodity prices, equipment malfunction, sick livestock, that great piece of equipment you didn't buy at the auction—there are plenty of factors in farming that are largely out of your control, which means worrying about them

Farmers know better than anyone the true meaning of the phrase, "you reap what you sow." So, as 2022 gets underway, SIU Medicine encourages Illinois farming families to begin the new year with a positive mindset and outlook. Find some inspiration with these five ideas: 1. Focus on what you can control Weather, the economy, politics, trade policies, rising and falling commodity prices, equipment malfunction, sick livestock, that great piece of equipment you didn't buy at the auction—there are plenty of factors in farming that are largely out of your control, which means worrying about them

SPRINGFIELD, IL – At work or in public, we sometimes witness microaggressions, disrespect, and racism directed at others. When something happens that goes against our values, there is often palpable discomfort, fear and uncertainty about what to do. Sunny Nakae, MSW, PhD, will offer skills and strategies for addressing these encounters at the 2022 Dr. Alonzo Kenniebrew Lecture, beginning at 6 pm, Tuesday, February 8. Nakae is senior associate dean for equity, inclusion, diversity and partnership at the California University of Science and Medicine. “Becoming an Ally” is the theme of the 2022

Endometriosis is a disease in which cells that normally grow inside the uterus grow outside the uterus on the surface of abdominal organs, and can cause pain and infertility. The disease affects 1 in 10 women and causes fertility problems in nearly half of women with the disease. Andrea Braundmeier-Fleming, PhD, knows the disease well. The SIU Medicine research scientist has suffered from it for over 30 years and it became a motivating factor in her career in medical immunology research. She and her colleagues have published results from a new study that could lead to a more rapid diagnosis of