Lectures + Events

Join us and Dr. Latha Palaniappan to discuss how our genes affect our responses to medication

There are known differences in drug metabolism, outcomes, and side effects across racial and ethnic groups, and not everyone responds to medications in the same way. A medicine that works well for others may not work well for you, resulting in significant side effects. In the US, adverse drug reactions cause a great number of hospitalizations and are a leading cause of death in hospitalized patients. Pharmacogenomics, or individualized drug therapy, can help us prevent dangerous drug reactions by pre-identifying at-risk patients. Pharmacogenomics analyses can study your unique genetic profile to determine which medications are likely to help you or harm you, before you even take them. Through this avenue of precision health, we can tailor medical care to every individual, and provide every patient with the right medication at the right dosage at the right time.

Latha Palaniappan MD, MS, is an internist and clinical researcher. Her research has focused on the study of diverse populations, chronic disease, and prevention. Dr. Palaniappan specifically seeks to address the gap in knowledge of health in Asian subgroups and other understudied racial/ethnic minorities. During her time at Palo Alto Medical Foundation (PAMF) as the Medical Director of Clinical Research, she led the organization-wide initiative to collect patient race/ethnicity and language information, enabling PAMF researchers to conduct disparities research using electronic health records. She was the co-founder of PRANA, a South Asian Wellness program. Her current work examines the clinical effectiveness of structured physical activity programs for diabetes management, as well as best exercise regimens for normal-weight diabetics. She was recently awarded a Midcareer Investigator Award by the National Institutes of Health to provide mentoring to junior clinical investigators in the conduct of patient-oriented research. She is currently working on implementation of evidence based genetic and pharmacogenetic testing in Primary Care Clinics as the Scientific Director of Precision Genomics and Pharmacogenomics in Primary Care. She is the Faculty Co-Director of the Stanford Biobank, designed to accelerate translatable scientific discoveries. She co-founded the Center for Asian Health Research and Education (CARE) at Stanford in 2018.

Tuesday, May 18
7:00 pm Pacific Time
Online

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A comprehensive approach to diabetes relies on patients taking control of their health.  In this session, primary care physician Randall Stafford, MD, PhD, and Certified Diabetes Care and Education Specialist and Registered Dietitian, Leah Groppo, MS, RD, CDCES, review the benefits of attention to diet, physical activity, sleep, and stress for people with diabetes.  They also provide key practical tips to get you moving towards healthier, better living with diabetes.

Randall S. Stafford, MD, PhD, is a Professor of Medicine at the Stanford School of Medicine and the Director of the Program on Prevention Outcomes and Practices (PPOP)

Leah Groppo, MS, RD, CDCES, is a Certified Diabetes Care and Education Specialist and Registered Dietitian with Stanford Health Care

Thursday, May 20
7:00 pm Pacific Time
Online

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Join us and Dr. Neeta Gautam to discuss Ayurvedic medicine, the "Science of Life."

Ayurveda is the traditional medical practice of India and one of the world's oldest continuously practiced healing traditions. In this talk, Neeta Gautam, MD, a Family Physician and Ayurvedic Wellness Counselor, will introduce you to the history, background, and fundamentals of Ayurveda and how these ancient practices can be applied in today's world.

Neeta Gautum, MD, received her medical degree from the Texas A&M University Health Sciences Center, in College Station, Texas. She completed her residency in family medicine at the Scott and White Hospital and Clinic in Temple Texas, and also trained as an Ayurvedic Wellness Counselor at the Kerala Ayurveda Academy, USA. She is a Clinical Assistant Professor in the Division of Primary, Preventive, and Community Medicine at the Stanford University School of Medicine and Director of Integrative Medicine at the Stanford Center for Asian Health Research and Education (CARE). 

Tuesday, June 8
7:00 pm Pacific Time
Online

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