February 25, 2002

Diabetes will be the topic of a conference for health professionals on March 13 at the Mashantucket Pequot Museum and Research Center, next to Foxwoods Casino.

The conference is from 9 a.m. to 2:30 p.m., with registration beginning at 8 a.m.

The conference, organized by the School of Allied Health, together with the schools of Medicine and Nursing, will offer Continuing Medical Education credits for physicians and Continuing Educational Units for dietitians, nurses, pharmacists, and certified diabetes educators.

The keynote speaker will be Hugh Achincloss, director of the Juvenile Diabetes Research Foundation Center on Islet Transplantation at Harvard Medical School, discussing the "The Current Status of Islet Transplantation, including the Edmonton Protocol."

Other speakers include: Eva Feldman, a professor of neurology at the University of Michigan, and director of the Juvenile Diabetes Research Foundation Center for Diabetes Complications, discussing "Glucose-Mediated Oxidative Stress Produces Diabetic Neuropathy and Retinopathy"; Henry Ginsberg, Irving Professor of Medicine at Columbia University, speaking on "Diabetes, Blood Lipids, and Coronary Heart Disease"; and Julian Seifter, a physician at Brigham and Women's Hospital, on "Diabetic Nephropathy".

During a special awards luncheon from noon to 1:30 p.m., Mary Tyler Moore and her husband, S. Robert Levine, will receive the first "Dynamic Duo in Diabetes" award for their combined leadership in awareness and research in seeking a cure for type 1 Diabetes.

Tyler Moore is international chair of the Juvenile Diabetes Research Foundation and Levine is chair of the foundation's Clinical Affairs Advisory Committee and a member of the foundation's Research Executive Committee.

The award, a trophy and a cash prize given in the couple's name to the Juvenile Diabetes Research Foundation, is given by the University of Connecticut, in partnership with the Hartford chapter of the foundation. Tyler Moore and Levine will receive the award from Chancellor John D. Petersen.

Kenny Reels, chairman of the Mashantucket Pequot Tribal Nation, will also be recognized for his work in promoting health care for those with diabetes which has, among other things, resulted in five years of conferences on diabetes being offered jointly by the University of Connecticut and the Mashantuckets.

The cost of this conference with continuing education credits is $100 and includes a boxed lunch. For those wishing to attend the awards luncheon, the fee is a total of $150. A discounted rate has been negotiated for overnight guests at the Casino Hotels.

Please contact Sally Fraley for registration information at (860) 486-4262.

This event is supported by an unrestricted educational grant from MERCK Inc.