On January 9, 2020, Conversations in Global Health returns to the Collins-Gaudy Conference Center at Doernbecher Children’s Hospital. The program is presented by the Center for Global Child Health Research, operating out of both the School of Medicine and Department of Pediatrics at OHSU.

This, the third event in the quarterly series, will pair Bill Messer, M.D., Ph.D. with Brian Scottoline, M.D., Ph.D. The series aims to forge a community of global health researchers at OHSU. To this end, Drs. Messer and Scottoline will discuss their current projects.

Dr. Messer's research has focused on dengue virus, a pathogen transmitted by mosquitos and endemic throughout the tropical and sub-tropical world. The Messer lab is particularly interested in genetic variation within dengue viruses and human immunity following dengue virus infection.

With the emergence of Zika virus in the Americas, The Messer lab has expanded its research to include Zika, as Zika and dengue are closely related.

Meanwhile, as part of an effort to define possible approaches to reduce the burden of diarrhea in children, Dr. Scottoline’s laboratory is investigating the fate of immunoglobulin (Ig) – those in breast milk, or exogenous Ig, in the infant gastrointestinal tract. 

This work is in collaboration with Dr. Dave Dallas’ laboratory at Oregon State University, and is being conducted in conjunction with efforts to develop monoclonal antibodies (MAbs) which are targeted against organisms that cause infectious diarrhea, and are to be given via an enteral route.  

“Conversation is the key word,” the Center’s founder and co-director David Lewinsohn, M.D., Ph.D. says. “This is essential to the Center’s mission, which is to bring a collaborative spirit to global health across OHSU. From choice of location to the format—with two presenters—the seminar series is designed to start the dialogue necessary to foster these points of connection among global health researchers.”

At the Center for Global Child Health Research, we are committed to improving the outcomes of child health worldwide through collaborative research in the prevention, diagnosis, and treatment of childhood bacterial infection. Our community for engaging this goal begins with the excellence of our team at OHSU and extends to the network of child health researchers we are establishing throughout the world.

WHAT            Conversations in Global Health

WHO              Bill Messer, M.D., Ph.D. and Brian Scottoline, M.D., Ph.D. (presenters)

                        David Lewinsohn, M.D., Ph.D. (moderator)

WHEN            Thursday, January 9, 2020

                        4-5pm Presentations and discussions

                        5-5:30pm Snacks and networking

WHERE          Doernbecher Children's Hospital, Collins Goudy Conference Center
                        700 S.W. Campus Drive
                        Portland, OR 97239

LIVE LINK       bit.ly/LiveGlobalHealth