What’s happening at Augusta University? Week of Sept. 20-26

Story ideas this week at Augusta University include a grant to study the consumption of cocoa at the Medical College of Georgia, a spotlight on National Hispanic and Heritage Month and the MCG Foundation’s new community summit to push for positive change in Augusta.

MCG Foundation looks to bring positive change

The MCG Foundation at Augusta University is sponsoring a community conference, “Transforming Our Community Summit: From Adversity to Resilience,” from 8 a.m. to 6 p.m. Sept. 23 at Richmond on the Greene. With support from Dr. Kimberly Vess Loomer and Dr. Melissa Bemiller, the summit is designed to discuss the most persistent, wide-ranging problems in the community and help lead to positive change.

Author Series features award-winning authors

The Augusta University Writing Project, an initiative of the College of Education, is continuing the Author Series. The series began to encourage students and community members to meet award-winning authors for presentations, conversations and more. “These author sessions have allowed us to stay connected with our colleagues not only in the local area, but beyond,” said Dr. Rebecca Harper, associate professor in the College of Education. Author Series events are free and open to the public.

$3 million grant awarded to study effect of cocoa consumption on aging

Dr. Yanbin Dong, geneticist and cardiologist at the Georgia Prevention Institute at the Medical College of Georgia, just received a $3 million grant from the National Institutes of Health. The grant will be used to perform detailed analysis of inflammatory factors and genetic changes associated with aging to see if cocoa consumption reduces those factors. Scientists are looking for a definitive answer to whether consuming cocoa, known to be packed with powerful antioxidants that protect our cells from damage, helps us age better.

Augusta University spotlights National Hispanic Heritage Month

National Hispanic Heritage Month runs from Sept. 15 to Oct. 15 and Augusta University is hosting a variety of events to spotlight Hispanic organizations and community members.  There are a number of on-campus organizations working to enrich Hispanic culture in the community. Hispanic Heritage Month celebrates histories, cultures and contributions of American citizens whose ancestors come from Spain, Mexico, the Caribbean and Central and South America.

Interview opportunities are available for these story ideas. Call 706-522-3023 to schedule an interview. Check out the Augusta University Expert Center to view our list of experts who can help with story ideas.