What’s happening at Augusta University? April 25-May 1

Stories this week include: The sweet sound of music will fill Maxwell Theatre; some students earn hands-on, real-life experience with their sculpture work; and a new study could help in the battle against Alzheimer’s.

Music will take center stage at Maxwell Theatre

The Augusta University Wind Ensemble will perform at 7:30 p.m. Tuesday, April 26 at the Maxwell Theatre. The ensemble will perform a wide variety of its repertoire from classic staples to more recent compositions by the finest composers.

Admission is $5 for the public. Augusta University students, faculty and staff get in free with their JagCard.

Students gain real-world experience in the Department of Art and Design,

The Department of Art and Design in Pamplin College of Arts, Humanities, and Social Sciences is offering sculpture students real-life opportunities by working with community members who are looking for pieces for their property.

“The whole concept behind the installation is it’s often very site specific, so students are designing the sculpture for a particular place,” said Brian Rust, sculpture and art professor. “In this class, we talk about the environmental influences in the space and we talk about the audience when dealing with public art. We are talking about the audience and what that means, and as a class, we discuss the whole realm of large-scale artwork.”

Age, Alzheimer’s-related brain decline linked to little-studied enzyme

A little-studied enzyme has been found in high levels in healthy neurons, levels that scientists say decline with age and more dramatically with Alzheimer’s, make adjusting the enzyme’s level a potential treatment for both.

“Aging is a major risk factor for Alzheimer’s disease, so when you look at what genes are involved in brain aging, and Alzheimer’s, you look at gene expression at different ages,” said Dr. Xin-Yun Lu, chair of the Department of Neuroscience and Regenerative Medicine at the Medical College of Georgia.

Interview opportunities are available for these stories. Call 706-993-6719 to schedule an interview. Check out the Augusta University Expert Center to view our list of experts who can help with story ideas.