Riluzole is an FDA-approved drug, currently used to treat amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS; Lou Gehrig's disease) and is currently in a Phase II clinical trial for the treatment of mild Alzheimer’s disease (AD) (Clinical Trial #NCT01703117). The exact reason behind riluzole’s potential benefits on cognition in AD patients is unknown. One potential way may be through altering glutamate signaling in the brain, a neurotransmitter essential for learning and memory. A team of researchers at the Center for Alzheimer’s Disease and Related Disorders at SIU Medicine lead by Kevin N. Hascup, PhD, and

Tell me about your childhood, what’s your family like? Both of my parents are immigrants and hustlers. My parents grew up in India and immigrated to California and started their own business. I grew up watching them live out the American dream. They were always telling me as a kid that I could grow up to live out any dream I imagined. What made you decide to go into medicine? It’s funny because one of my friends recently told me that in sixth grade, our teacher asked us to write on the board what we wanted to be when we grow up. He said I wrote “doctor” on the board and he congratulated me by

Tell me about your childhood, what’s your family like? Both of my parents are immigrants and hustlers. My parents grew up in India and immigrated to California and started their own business. I grew up watching them live out the American dream. They were always telling me as a kid that I could grow up to live out any dream I imagined. What made you decide to go into medicine? It’s funny because one of my friends recently told me that in sixth grade, our teacher asked us to write on the board what we wanted to be when we grow up. He said I wrote “doctor” on the board and he congratulated me by

Tell me about your childhood, what’s your family like? Both of my parents are immigrants and hustlers. My parents grew up in India and immigrated to California and started their own business. I grew up watching them live out the American dream. They were always telling me as a kid that I could grow up to live out any dream I imagined. What made you decide to go into medicine? It’s funny because one of my friends recently told me that in sixth grade, our teacher asked us to write on the board what we wanted to be when we grow up. He said I wrote “doctor” on the board and he congratulated me by

SIU Medicine is recruiting patients with early-stage Parkinson’s disease to study a new drug that could become a potential treatment for the debilitating condition. Parkinson's disease (PD) is a nervous system disorder that affects movement, causing slowness, stiffness, tremors and walking and balance problems. Over time, patients diagnosed with PD experience a worsening of their symptoms. In the early stages of Parkinson’s disease, symptoms may be mild and the diagnosis can be easily missed. The symptoms include: Slowed movement, also known as bradykinesia (difficulties getting out of a chair

Southern Illinois University School of Medicine Department of Population Science and Policy (PSP) works to understand the health challenges of people in central and southern Illinois and provides innovative, sustainable solutions to improve health in their communities. PSP is invited into communities by local stakeholders and changemakers to identify and pull together resources; provide workshops, focus groups and community training; collect and organize data; conduct community needs assessments; identify and implement solutions to improve health; and inform and improve local, state and

All SIU Medicine COVID-19 testing sites are closed December 23 – January 3 for the holidays. Testing resumes on January 4, 2021. SIU Medicine will continue COVID-19 testing for the Springfield community in January. On Mondays, Tuesdays and Thursdays, the testing operation will be hosted by the Abundant Faith Christian Center located at 2525 Taylor Ave. Mondays: 9 – 11 a.m. and 1 – 4 p.m. Tuesdays: 9 – 11 a.m. and 1 – 4 p.m. Thursdays: 9 – 11 a.m. and 1 – 4 p.m. Fridays: 1 – 4 p.m. (at Abundant Faith Christian Center, 301 West Reynolds Campus) Additional testing is conducted on Fridays, hosted

SIU Medicine will continue COVID-19 testing for the Springfield community in December. All SIU Medicine COVID-19 testing sites are closed December 23 – January 3 for the holidays. Testing resumes on January 4, 2021. On Mondays, Tuesdays and Thursdays, the testing operation will be hosted by Abundant Faith Christian Center located at 2525 Taylor Ave. All participants should be in line before 3 p.m. to ensure same day testing. Mondays: 9 – 11 a.m. and 1 – 4 p.m. Tuesdays: 9 – 11 a.m. and 1 – 4 p.m. Thursdays: 9 – 11 a.m. and 1 – 4 p.m. On Fridays, the testing operation is hosted by other area

Carbondale, IL – The Southern Illinois University System President’s Office released recommendations from its first Veteran’s Summit held last fall in Mt. Vernon. The two-day gathering of education, non-profit, policy and government leaders, sponsored by the McCormick Foundation, addressed challenges facing veterans including access to healthcare, educational opportunities and legal assistance in order to create a strategic blueprint to improve veteran’s services in central and southern Illinois. “The summit was very successful because it was able to shine more light on veterans in central and