Will a time come when stem cells can reverse the disability caused by a stroke? This is one of many topics that will be discussed at St. Mary's Neurology Conference: Once and Future Stroke Care – Statins, Stents and Stem Cells, on Saturday, Oct. 13, from 8 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. at the University of Georgia Complex Carbohydrate Research Center.

The conference will highlight some of the cutting-edge work being done at UGA, Atlanta and Augusta to combat the effects of stroke. Stroke is one of the worst killers in the United States and the No. 1 cause of disability in adults. It happens when blood flow to the brain is interrupted, causing brain cells to die. Every year, it leaves hundreds of thousands of Americans with debilitating loss of movement, speech, memory, vision, hearing and/or independence.

Featured speakers will lead participants through topics such as prevention, the use of new technologies to remove the blood clots that cause major strokes, and research in genetics, stem cells and other emerging possibilities for stroke treatment.

Additional speakers will focus on research into other neurological problems, including diseases of the peripheral nervous system (the nerves outside of the brain and spinal cord), genetic foundations of Aniridia (a vision disorder), and potential new therapies for people with brain injuries and tumors.

The conference is free and open to the public. Continuing education credit will be available for physicians and emergency medical services personnel. In addition, the program is designed to be of particular interest to medical students, nurses, and other health professionals who work in neurosciences.

Presenters will be:

• David Hess, M.D., dean of the Medical College of Georgia and executive vice president for medical affairs and integration, Augusta University Health

• Nadja Zeltner, Ph.D., assistant professor, Center for Molecular Medicine, UGA

• James Lauderdale, Ph.D., associate professor, Department of Cellular Biology, UGA

• Diogo Haussen, M.D., endovascular surgical neuroradiologist, Marcus Stroke & Neuroscience Center at Grady

• Franklin West, Ph.D., associate professor, Regenerative Bioscience Center, UGA

• Bradley Phillips, PharmD., department head, Clinical and Administrative Pharmacy, UGA

• Jeff Switzer, D.O., director, Telestroke and Teleneurology, Medical College of Georgia/Augusta University Health

• Lohitash Karumbaiah, Ph.D., assistant professor, Regenerative Bioscience Center, UGA

• Steven Stice, Ph.D., director, Regenerative Bioscience Center, UGA

Registration is required and includes a light lunch, snacks, and all conference materials. The Complex Carbohydrate Research Center is located at 315 Riverbend Road, Athens. For more information or to register, please visit www.stmarysmeded.com/neurology-conference or call Chrys Moore, St. Mary's medical education coordinator, at 706.389.3848.